U.S. President Barack Obama' s three-day official visit to Malaysia would not conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) but only to further discuss it, an official of Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry said here Tuesday, local media reported.

Bernama, Malaysia's state news agency, quoted Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, secretary general of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, as saying that there was no way for Malaysia and the United States to conclude the TPP, as it was not a bilateral agreement and Obama was just representing on country.

"It would be more than just the TPP as we're going to talk about Malaysia-U.S. bilateral trade as well as industry, education, security and so many other issues," she said.

There would be some business-to-business arrangements during Obama's visit, she said, adding that it would promote ties between the two countries.

U.S. President Barack Obama is to arrive in Japan Wednesday for a state visit, and the Asia trip will also take him South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.

At a ministerial session held in December 2013 in Singapore, 12 countries participating in the TPP negotiations missed the initial goal of striking a deal within 2013. The following ministerial meeting held in the same country in February also ended with no agreement. Endi

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)