US President Barack Obama has announced the broad outlines of a plan to create a trans-Pacific free trade zone at an annual regional summit² in Hawaii.

在夏威夷召开的年度APEC峰会上，美国总统奥巴马公布了一项建立跨太平洋自由贸易区的计划。

Barack Obama said the TPP deal could be finalised next year
"I'm confident we can get this done," Mr Obama said at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) talks.

Nine Apec nations are involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership³ (TPP), but China has so far not expressed interest in joining the talks.

In all, 21 Apec countries account for about 44% of global trade.

They also make up some 40% of the world's population.

Speaking in Honolulu on Saturday, Mr Obama said: "Together we can boost⁴ exports and create more goods available for our consumers, create new jobs. Compete, win in the markets of the future."

Iran response

Describing the region¹ as an engine for growth, he expressed hopes that the TPP deal could be finalised as early as next year.

The US leader also said the TPP could serve as a model for other trade pacts⁵（贸易协定） . He did not provide further details about the plan.

Mr Obama had separate meetings with the Chinese and Russian Presidents, on the sidelines of the Apec summit.

In his meeting with the Chinese President, Hu Jintao, Mr Obama pressed him to allow the Chinese currency, the yuan, to rise, and on the need for a rebalancing of the global economy, White House officials said.

Mr Obama also warned the Chinese president that Americans were becoming impatient⁶ over US-China economic ties.

In his meeting with the Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, Mr Obama discussed Afghanistan, Iran and Syria, among other subjects.

Mr Obama said they "reaffirmed our intention to work and shape a common response so we can move Iran to follow its international obligations⁷ when it comes to its nuclear programme".