Part 7/12:
Both nations submitted applications to the CPTPP’s administrative hub in New Zealand in August—marking the first applications since Indonesia’s in September 2024. The current members include Vietnam, Singapore, Brunai, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and the UK. Costa Rica is in accession talks, while China, Taiwan, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Indonesia have also expressed interest.
For Manila, joining the CPTPP is seen as a critical move to bolster economic resilience, especially after previous US tariffs impacted its trade. The Philippines has deepened economic ties with Japan through bilateral agreements on trade and reciprocal troop access, signaling warming relations considering Japan's occupation of the Philippines during WWII.