Australia reassures Japan on CPTPP trade pact and strength of relationship

Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell met Japan’s Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura in Osaka on Sunday to discuss the Asia-Pacific trade pact

Farrell said decisions on accession to CPTPP ‘must be consensus decisions’, indicating that Japanese concerns over China’s application would be heard

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Australia’s trade minister Don Farrell in Beijing in May. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:38am, 30 Oct 2023Updated: 4:06am, 30 Oct 2023

Australia’s trade minister underscored to his Japanese counterpart the strength of bilateral ties between the nations and reassured Tokyo that Canberra would listen to its concerns on any applications to join a regional trade agreement.

Regarding the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, “we will continue to be like-minded. We value our partnership with Japan,” Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell said in Osaka on Sunday in a meeting with Japan’s Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura.

Farrell added that all decisions on accession to CPTPP “must be consensus decisions”, indicating that Japanese concerns over the application of China would be heard.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to China later this week for the first visit by an Australian leader since 2016.

Relations between Australia and China have been gradually improving since Albanese took office last year, with China lifting tariffs and unofficial bans on imports that it had imposed from 2020, when ties were souring.