Question map
With reference to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, consider the following statements : 1. It is an agreement among all the Pacific Rim countries except China and Russia. 2. It is a strategic alliance for the purpose of maritime security only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
The correct answer is option D (Neither 1 nor 2) because both statements are incorrect.
Statement 1 is incorrect because the TPP was signed by only 12 specific Pacific Rim countries[2], not all Pacific Rim countries. The 12 TPP members were Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam[1]. This list notably excludes several Pacific Rim nations beyond just China and Russia, such as South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and others.
Statement 2 is incorrect because the TPP was designed to eliminate and reduce trade barriers and covered multiple areas including trade in goods, rules of origin,[3] trade remedies, technical[4] barriers to trade, trade in services, intellectual property, government procurement, and competition policy. It was a comprehensive economic and trade agreement, not a strategic alliance limited to maritime security purposes.
Therefore, since both statements are incorrect, option D is the correct answer.
Sources- [1] https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/402861490788215893/pdf/113852-PUB-PUBLIC-PUBDATE-3-1-2017.pdf
- [2] https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/402861490788215893/pdf/113852-PUB-PUBLIC-PUBDATE-3-1-2017.pdf
- [4] https://belonging.berkeley.edu/TPP-report
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a classic 'Headline Awareness' question. You didn't need to memorize all 12 members, just the fundamental nature (Trade vs Security) and the scope (Selective vs Universal). It rewards understanding the 'gist' of major geopolitical shifts over rote memorization.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Explicitly lists all 12 economies that signed the TPP.
- Identifies the three Latin American members and the nine other members by name.
- Describes the TPP's roots in the earlier P4 agreement.
- Names Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, and Singapore—confirming these countries' involvement in the TPP negotiations.
Defines APEC as a 21-country 'Pacific Rim' forum — indicates a common pool of Asia‑Pacific countries that typically appear in regional trade pacts.
A student can compare TPP membership against the list of Pacific‑Rim/APEC economies (using a map or APEC list) to identify likely TPP members from that geographic set.
Explains RCEP as built on ASEAN+1 FTAs and lists typical partners (China, Korea, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand) — showing the recurring set of East Asia / Pacific trade partners.
Use the repeated appearance of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, etc., as candidates to check against known TPP participants via a basic map or list of Pacific trade partners.
Lists members of the Asia‑Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) — demonstrates another grouping of Asia‑Pacific countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Korea, etc.) often considered in regional trade arrangements.
A student could cross‑reference these Asia‑Pacific countries with the Pacific‑oriented TPP concept to eliminate inland/non‑Pacific economies and narrow down plausible TPP members.
Gives the definition and mechanics of a Preferential Trade Area (PTA) where members lower barriers among themselves — relevant because TPP is a preferential/regional trade agreement.
Knowing TPP is a PTA‑style agreement, a student can look for Pacific economies that actively conclude PTAs and then verify which of those joined the TPP.
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