TOKYO --With the Trans-Pacific Partnership coming into force in December, its 11 members are planning a meeting early next year to discuss inviting Thailand and other nations, hoping to quickly expand the trade bloc positioned as a bulwark against protectionism.
Cabinet-level representatives from the 11 Pacific Rim nations will meet in Tokyo as early as January to decide on the procedures to let in new members, with expansion targeted for next year. In addition to Thailand, the U.K. and South Korea have expressed interest.
