Beijing has sought to take the lead in kick-starting the formation of a regional free-trade agreement as a US-led pact, which does not include China, faces uncertainty.

Wang Shouwen, an assistant commerce minister, said yesterday that discussions were under way to set up a working group that would explore the feasibility of an Asia-Pacific Free Trade Agreement (FTAAP).

… “This came on the heels of Obama’s not so successful trip to Asia … one could not help but wonder if China is taking advantage of the lost TPP momentum and trying to push for a region-wide alternative free-trade agreement,” said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.