Pacific Alliance Looks to Bolster Ties

The four countries that form the Pacific Alliance will sit down Oct. 23 to discuss options to fully incorporate the first associate members since the alliance was formalized in June 2012.An expanded Pacific Alliance -- currently made up of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru -- could become the cornerstone for trade in the region given the general uncertainty of trade. New alliance members would include Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore."The alliance wants to become a platform with a global outlook, with an emphasis on the Asia-Pacific. Negotiations with these four countries is a clear step in that direction, making us the most important integration initiative in the region today," Peruvian Trade Minister Eduardo Ferreyros told Bloomberg.