The US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) cuts trade tariffs and
sets common standards in member countries including Japan and the US.
China said it was "open to any mechanism" that follows World Trade Organization rules.
But it did not indicate it would join the TPP, which still needs to be ratified by lawmakers in each country.
China, which was not part of the negotiations, has announced its own rival trade agreement.
The TPP, which covers about 40% of the world economy, was struck on Monday after five days of talks in Atlanta in the US.
Those
talks were the culmination of five years of negotiations between member
countries led by the US. The deal is seen by some as a counter balance
to China's growing economic influence in the Asia Pacific region.
'Regional stability'
China's Ministry of Commerce called the TPP
"one of the key free trade agreements for the Asia-Pacific region",
according to a statement on Xinhua state news agency website.
"China
hopes the TPP pact and other free trade arrangements in the region can
boost each other and contribute to the Asia-Pacific's trade, investment
and economic growth," it said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
said on Tuesday the deal signified a "new Asia-Pacific century", but
added that it would have strategic meaning if China joined in the
future.
"It would contribute largely to our nation's security and Asia-Pacific regional stability," he said.
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