That's why we support strong international connections. And why we focus so strongly on making it as easy as possible for our businesses to succeed through good public policy.
I back our farmers, our manufacturers, our ICT companies, and in fact all our export industries to succeed.
If we can get an equal crack at world markets, we're up there with the best in the world.
That opportunity is what free trade is about for New Zealand. And the TPP is our most significant free-trade deal to date.
It will open up access to 800 million people around the world. On current trade volumes, tariff savings will reach $274 million a year once the TPP is fully implemented. It will give our exporters an equal opportunity to sell their goods and services in markets including the world's first and third largest - the United States and Japan.
We often talk about the overall benefits to New Zealand, but this deal matters to individual businesses and workers in every region. The orchardist in Hawke's Bay, the winegrower in Marlborough, the dairy farmer in Waikato and the IT provider in Auckland all stand to benefit.
Removing those tariffs and non-tariff barriers will make it easier for them to compete. In total, the deal is forecast to add at least $2.7 billion a year to New Zealand's GDP by 2030.
And, as we saw from the China FTA, these agreements tend to exceed our expectations.
Trade agreements are always a matter of give and take. But New Zealand is already an open, transparent and trade-friendly country, which means only a fraction of TPP's obligations will require us to change what we already do now.
The only significant cost comes from extending New Zealand's copyright period from 50 to 70 years. This cost - in terms of foregone savings on books, films, music and other works - increases gradually over more than 20 years and averages about $55 million a year over the very long term. Some people think that cost is overstated.
As you probably all know, other potentially far-reaching proposals to do with Pharmac and intellectual property were not included in the final deal.
The next step is to introduce the TPP legislation to Parliament next week. This follows a series of meetings around the country to better inform the public, as well as the release of the TPP text and the opportunity for the public to submit on it.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement Amendment Bill will make the legislative changes needed to ratify the TPP. These amendments will only come into effect once TPP enters into force for New Zealand, which could be late 2017 or early in 2018.
We also hope to upgrade our FTA with China and we're in negotiations with the European Union and the Gulf States, as well as with the other nations involved in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership talks.
Once the TPP is in place, our trade agreements will cover almost the entire Pacific Rim.
Asia-Pacific will be the major driver of global economic growth for the foreseeable future.
It's part of the reason why President Obama is so focused on getting TPP over the line in the US - which we remain optimistic he will be able to do. For the US, the TPP is about taking advantage of economic growth as well as maintaining leadership in the region. Everyone wants the US there, but if they're not the region won't stand still - others will look to fill the vacuum.
In my opinion, though, US leadership remains strong and it remains in its best interest to join the TPP. The growing middle class in China, and other rapidly developing countries, is driving innovation and change at rates we've not seen before.
That's good for our region and for the world. New Zealand will be part of that if we keep our outward, open focus.
- This is an abridged version of a speech Prime Minister John Key gave to the NZ Institute of International Affairs in Wellington yesterday.
