Obama: China may be open to joining Trans-Pacific Partnership

President Obama said Wednesday that Chinese officials have contacted U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew about joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the White House's pending trade agreement between countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

"They've already started putting out feelers about the possibilities of them participating at some point," Obama told Kai Ryssdal of American Public Media's Marketplace podcast.

When Obama introduced the Trans-Pacific Partnership, he said the deal is necessary to stop China from monopolizing trade in the Asia-Pacific region, Time notes. In Wednesday's interview, Obama told Ryssdal that the partnership would pressure China to implement fair labor standards and practices.

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Obama is seeking fast-track authority for the trade deal, but he faces opposition from top Democrats, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who believe it would adversely affect American wages and jobs. If the Trans-Pacific Partnership passes, it would be the U.S.'s biggest active free trade agreement, NPR notes.