Divisive China, Taiwan bids to join Pacific trade pact in focus at meet

WELLINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) – Members of a major trans-Pacific trade pact meeting in Auckland on Sunday are set to discuss applications by China and Taiwan to join the group, proposals that have deepened the rancour among the neighbours and divided the opinions of member-nations. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is also expected to finalise Britain’s membership at the gathering. China beat Taiwan to apply to join the group by less that a week in 2021, but both applications have been on hold while the UK application has been worked through. “This is probably the first…