Trump pledged in a short video message to signal the US's withdrawal from the TPP -- a vast, arduously negotiated agreement between 12 countries that does not include China -- on his first day in the White House. The TPP is the economic plank of outgoing US President Barack Obama's strategic rebalance to Asia, and the US's departure from the pact would render it toothless. RCEP talks were pressing ahead, said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, adding: "Now, we hope that such negotiations can achieve early results." China hoped that trade agreements would "reinforce each other rather than undercut each other", Geng said. But it would still be hard to overtake the US's prominent global position.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 22, 2016 12:08 UTC