5 . ▁ ▁Although ▁original ▁and ▁negoti ating ▁parties ▁are ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Asia - P ac ific ▁Econom ic ▁Co operation ▁( AP EC ), ▁the ▁T P SE P ▁( and ▁the ▁T PP ▁it ▁grew ▁into ) ▁are ▁not ▁A PE C ▁initi atives . ▁However , ▁the ▁T PP ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁path find er ▁for ▁the ▁proposed ▁Free ▁Trade ▁Area ▁of ▁the ▁Asia ▁Pacific ▁( F TA AP ), ▁an ▁A PE C ▁initi ative . ▁ ▁Neg oti ations ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁US ▁agreed ▁to ▁enter ▁into ▁tal ks ▁with ▁the ▁Pacific ▁ 4 ▁( P 4 ) ▁members ▁regarding ▁trade ▁liberal isation ▁in ▁financial ▁services . ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁US ▁Trade ▁Represent ative ▁Susan ▁C . ▁Schw ab ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁US ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁country ▁to ▁begin ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁the ▁P 4 ▁countries ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁T PP , ▁planning ▁to ▁start ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁tal ks ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Australia , ▁Vietnam , ▁and ▁Peru ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁also ▁join ▁the ▁P 4 ▁trade ▁b loc . ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Malays ia ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁also ▁joined ▁the ▁T PP ▁negoti ations . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁inaug uration ▁of ▁President ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁anticip