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The CPTPP encompasses a diverse group of countries including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Originally conceived by Barack Obama in 2009 as part of his strategy to pivot the US economy towards Asia, the CPTPP aims to create a massive trade block that could even entice China to participate, thereby allowing for negotiations around structured regulatory standards on critical issues like intellectual property and state-owned enterprises.