Exporters and business groups to front two days hearings into CPTPP expansion

THE representatives of the Australia-Taiwan Business Council appeared today ahead of two days of public hearings for an Australian parliamentary inquiry looking at the merits of expanding the membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The CPTPP agreement signed in 2018 is a trade bloc of 11 countries that includes Australia and is an export market of 500 million consumers worth nearly $14 trillion.

The parliamentary inquiry will examine the scope for expanding the CPTPP beyond the existing membership of Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia and Peru to include new members.

Today’s public hearing is with representatives of the Australia-Taiwan Business Council, Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in Australia, Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Oceania, MelbourneTaiwaneseChamber ofCommerce, Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce Western Australia, Asia Business Council Western Australia, Taiwanese Association of Australia, Melbourne Chapter, Queensland Federation of Taiwanese Associations, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott AC, Export Council of Australia, Standards Australia, DHL Express (Australia), Australia China Business Council, Dr M Shumi Akhtar, Perth USAsia Centre, Customs and Global Law and the Freight and Trade Alliance, and Article Three.

Tomorrow’s public hearing is with Professor Gabriele Suder, and representatives of the Australian Sugar Milling Council, Australian British Chamber of Commerce, Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network, ActionAid, Australian Taiwanese Friendship Association, the Overseas Community Affairs Council, ROC (Taiwan), Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association Taiwan, Taiwanese Barley Products Industry Association, CPC Corporation Taiwan, and the Bankers Association of the ROC.

Further details about the about the inquiry, including today’s program and the terms of reference, details of past public hearings and roundtable discussions, can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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