China may have 'missed the boat' on TPP trade negotiations

China may have missed the chance to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership as negotiators are close to ending the talks and may close the door to a newcomer to avoid any delays, experts said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the nation is being urged to make a proposal during the 2014 Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. That is, to establish an Asia-Pacific free trade agreement integrating the advanced TPP and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which covers developing economies.

"When it's ready, China should join the TPP negotiations. But it's surely too late now," Masahiro Kawai, dean and the chief executive officer of the Asian Development Bank Institute, told the Economic Integration of the Asia-Pacific Region Outlook: RCEP & TPP International Forum.