Today, China's State Council published a document to promote "international high-standard" measures for opening up in pilot zones and free trade ports, potentially bringing it more in line with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which it has applied to join.

During New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' visit to China this week, the two sides signed agreements on agriculture, intellectual property, and education, and committed to start negotiating a "negative list" for services.

At an Australian Senate hearing earlier this month, officials from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) responded to questions from Australian Senators on a number of issues related to China trade, including various disputes over sales of Australian products to China and China's application

China's commerce minister Wang Shouwen said at a recent event that China is currently pushing ahead with the process of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

At a press conference, China's Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, announced that China had eased restrictions on Australian timber imports, and also discussed China's CPTPP entry and concerns about Chinese surveillance.

Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, who previously served as International Trade Secretary and Foreign Secretary, gave a speech yesterday at the Prospect Foundation in Taiwan, entitled "Taiwan: On the Frontline of Freedom and Democracy," in which she called for "an economic NATO" involving "coordination

Last week, Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell traveled to China and met with his Chinese counterpart, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, as part of the continued effort to ease tensions in Australia-China trade and foreign relations.