the tpp will include transparency and openness and tpp sure respects the role of the wto in the multilateral trading system as well as supports the role of the wto in leading the global trade and investment. you ask me whether china will join the ttp some day or not. at this moment we're part of china and studying this tpp initiative. we are trying to figure out what are the benefits for china, what are the standards as well as the gap between the requirements, demands and china's national reality. so this moment we're still at the stage of evaluation and assessment. at this moment, my economies are already involved in tpp. but i think the decision of japan to participate in ttp will not and will not negatively afact the engagement in other region initiatives, thank you. >> the gentleman in the first row. next question. [ speaking foreign language ] >> translator: i'm with the business times. we've seen that the two-way investments across the taiwan straits have been progressing in a very steady way and according to the third round of policy review carried out by the taiwanese authority in c

we're targeting the markets of other tpp countries. >> reporter: as the tpp discussions continue, eachountry at the negotiating table has its own agenda. for vietnam, the agenda is to protect its rapid economic growth. but without being so dependent on china. akiko ichihara, nhk world, ha i hanoi. >>> the mediterranean has been hit by some powerful storms. for more on that, let's go to sayaka mori who has the world weather forecast. >>> rain has been pounding southern italy because of a successions of a low pressure system. let's go to video out of sicily. a violent storm hit the southern italian island of sicily wednesday night. people tried to drive through flooded streets. you can see the broken road here. the heavy rain caused some structural damage. trains and flights were also stopped during the storm, which also delivered large hail. right now sicily is experiencing a break in the rain. however this low pressure system will move to the north, so thunderstorms will continue into next week so additional flash floods will be a concern. meanwhile, dry conditions for most of the cont

we're targeting the markets of other tpp countries. >> reporter: as the tpp discussions continue, each country at the negotiations table has its own agenda. for vietnam, that agenda is to protect its rapid economic growth. but without being so dependent on china. >> thailand is currently suffering from a severe shortage of rain. just months after the country experienced record flooding. 21 provinces mostly in northern thailand are officially in a state of drought. the situation started in early february and has affected many areas. the river is normally seven meters deep, but the water level has dropped to just one meter. the river is a major source of irrigation for agriculture. more than ten irrigation pumping stations along the river are out of action. the situation may deteriorate further unless the only dam in the district can be fixed. >> translator: the dam was badly damaged in a severe flash flood last year. if it can't be fixed by the end of march, we'll see lore levels of water. people who need water for their crops and daily lives will be affected. >> summer in thailand usua

we're targeting the markets of other tpp countries. >> reporter: as the tpp discussions continue, eachntry at the negotiating table has its own agenda. for vietnam, that agenda is to protect it rapid economic growth but without being so dependent on china. reporting for nhk world, han ohio. >>> thailand is currently suffering from a severe shortage of rain just months after the country experienced record flooding. 21 provinces mostly in northern thailand are officially in a state of drought. the situation started in early february and has affected many areas of the province. one district is especially badly affected. the river is normally seven meters deep but the water level has dropped to just one meter. the river is a major source of irrigation for agriculture. more than ten irrigation pumping stations along the river are out of action. the situation may deteriorate further unless the only dam in the district can be fixed. >> translator: the dam was badly damaged in a severe flash flood last year. if it can't be fixed by the end of march, we'll see lower levels of water. people who

chen was asked whether china intends to join the tpp discussions in the future. he declined to comment on china's comment -- commitment. chan said his country is examining details of the talks and related conditions and whether they suit china's needs. in order to form a free trade framework in east asia, they have been promoting multilateral talks with asean, japan and south korea. >>> environmental pollution in china has become serious as the country's economy has grown rapidly. a large international exhibition for environmental protection products is now under way in shanghai. about 750 firms from over 30 countries and territories, including japan, are taking part in an event that opened on wednesday. a chinese government official said in the opening ceremony that china's environment industry has been growing at 15% to 20% a year and will continue to expand. the chinese government designated environmental protection is a key industry which it supports. it expects investments to be about $450 billion over five years. about 20 japanese companies are displaying t

concrete steps to put all items on the negotiating table before joining former negotiations on the tpp, japan needs approval from all nine countries already in the takes. japan held a preliminary consultations with the u.s. twice last month. formal negotiations among the nine countries are now being held in melbourne, australia. next we go to bangkok to find out what's going on in the region. >> we start our bulletin in indonesia where a major deal has been agreed to harness more of the nation's untapped geothermal energy. indonesia is one of the most volcanically active countries in the world. it also desperately needs more electricity to power its booming economy. the indonesian government inked a deal on friday with a corporation. the japanese trading house will form a joint venture with two other companies to construct and operate two geothermal power plants. the 1.5 billion dollar project on the island of sumatra should be completed in four years. together the plants will supply enough electricity to meet the needs of six million people. no geothermal power harnesses hot steam fro

concrete steps to put all items on the negotiating table before joining former negotiations on the tpp, japan needs approval from all nine countries already in the takes. japan held a preliminary consultations with the u.s. twice last month. formal negotiations among the nine countries are now being held in melbourne, australia. next we go to bangkok to find out what's going on in the region. >> we start our bulletin in indonesia where a major deal has been agreed to harness more of the nation's untapped geothermal energy. indonesia is one of the most volcanically active countries in the world. it also desperately needs more electricity to power its booming economy. the indonesian government inked a deal on friday with a corporation. the japanese trading house will form a joint venture with two other companies to construct and operate two geothermal power plants. the 1.5 billion dollar project on the island of sumatra should be completed in four years. together the plants will supply enough electricity to meet the needs of six million people. no geothermal power harnesses hot steam fro

th yeayou're maria von bldy tpp! you'll make plen mistakes with brics chdren. i doubt i'll eveleav one of them behind on scoish island. i ough pete had him, okay les just stop this bere w- ahh, youave no bullets. ohh. so...hugh grant. i'm sorry? "i sor?" you don't have to be sry. we're men. and, as me we e evolutionarily rd-wired naias many women ase ca yoll get better at it.( do open) what everytng oy? yep. ishe-- still in the toile ght.so, any decisions but you abt pudding? ( sighs ) why don't weust skip pudding anget e bill? i'llet tt, honey. , th's kind, but let's lit . that me. no, i said t's lit it. you're on teaches was. i'll pay, prof that's for you good-looking. don't play the therist th me. pete. pete's one othosguys who thinks tt chlatans become psychherasts. yeah, them and serbi r criminals. pete! whoa, hu gra! and if you call me hu grant one more time, ani'm nna shove it right you- ( giggles ) i wa my m. oh, it's all rht, sweetie. no! i want my re mum! ll.. pop back in a tick. ben: we ed hp fast! ere's a triceratopshavi! mum and dad had a vorc.. ye

. >> why hasn't he included the legislation and two, why not include the monetary vietnam and tpp if you're for free trade? >> i think if you look at our record this president has been very aggressive in taking action to ensure we have a level playing field with china. this president was the only president who's actually used the 421 escape authority that was part of the china wto agreement. and he has taken more trade, more wto actions against china than his predecessor. you've just seen us file a very important case on china rare earth. you've seen the success of the tire case. you've seen the president just put forward a new interagency trade force to make sure we have the language, expertise to bring more significant cases against our -- against competitors who are not playing by the rules. so i think this president has taken a very aggressive approach, much more so than his predecessor in leveling the playing field with china, and i think you've seen that -- you've seen that consistently, and you've seen it over the last two months. i -- we do agree that their currency should be

supported the bipartisan china currency legislation and why include kmurn nis nonmarket vietnam in the tpp if you're for free trade? >> i think if you look at our record, this president has been very aggressive in taking action to insure we have a level playing field with china. this president was the only president to use the 4 421 escape authority and he's taken more trade and more actions against china than his predecessor. you've just seen us file, very important case, on china rare earth. you've seen the success of the tire case. you've seen the president just put forward a new interagency trade enforcement task force to make sure we have the capacity, the language skills, the expertise, to bring more significant cases against our competitors who are not playing by the rules. predent has taken a very aggressive approach, a much more so than his predecessor in leveling the playingfield with china and i think you've seen that consistently and you've seen i . we agree that their currency should be market-based. it has under president obama's watch and urging but not enough. but i think i

and we're negotiating a so-called tpp, trance trans pacific partnership.gapore and vietnam and we hope japan, that we are all playing the same game and serve the same dynamics. the truth being that we don't. let me give you one example. a big element in international trade is the value of currencies. and you know, we spend years and hours and endless negotiations reducing tariffs by 5 or 10 or 15%. currency movements can be 20, 30% in a day. they can wipe out tariff negotiations overnight. the management of your currency to produce an indirect subsidy export is not at all covered in the know nebraska goeshations. the premises that all of the countries negotiating to not manage their currencies to subsidize their export. that is simply not the case. rs. >> jonathan, you want it take this in the golf or paddle tennis? >> i was going to say. leave it to me to end the sports analogies. but i'll continue with it. so one group is playing by rugby rules. another group is playing by american rules. it leads me to wonder, who the hell is the referee? and does anyon

japan hasice that decided to join the tpp. nine economies are already involved. the decision of japan will not negatively effect its engagement in other initiatives. thank you. >> thank you, minster chen. next question. the gentleman in the first row. [speaking chinese] [speaking chinese] >> i am with "tie line industry and business times." we have seen progress in a steady way, and according to the third round of policy review conducted by the taiwanese authority, taiwan will further relax the authority in setting up business in producing semiconductors and displaced products. so, i want to argue that given the very good cooperation, and if the tie 1 authority -- ta iwan decides to relax authorities, will your ministry make any reactions by encouraging mainland companies to go to taiwan and invest in the above-mentioned business? thank you. >> thank you for your question. after the election code -- concluded in taiwan, the economic and trade relations between the mainland and taiwan will continue to prosper, and move forward, and it is something we look forward