Blow for Obama's TPP as Vietnam Parliament defers ratification

Hanoi

VIETNAM will not include ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on its agenda for its next parliament session, an official said on Friday, adding to uncertainty over the future of US President Barack Obama's signature trade deal.

As arguably the biggest beneficiary of the deal covering 40 per cent of the global economy, Vietnam was expected to be among the first to ratify the TPP, the prospect of which helped spur record foreign investment last year in its booming manufacturing sector.