International trade secretary Liz Truss said she will ask to become a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Monday.
Negotiations are expected to start this spring, according to the government, which said that UK trade with the group was worth £111bn last year.
Ms Truss, who is due to face questions about the move on BBC and Sky News on Sunday morning, made the announcement on the anniversary of the UK’s formal departure from the EU.
The Department for International Trade said joining the CPTPP would cut tariffs on food, drink and cars and improve access to the markets of its members, such as Mexico, New Zealand and Vietnam.
Other benefits are said to include easier travel between partnership…