The Nikkei Asian Review on March 21 reported that Japan is considering expanding membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) at a meeting in Mexico in August, as Tokyo looks to reduce its reliance on China given that the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in unprecedented supply chain disruptions.
The report said that the Japan-led trade bloc might open up to more Asian economies, such as Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. That would be good news for Taiwan, which has long expressed a desire to join the pact, although the meeting could be postponed amid the pandemic.
