Malcolm Turnbull has directly lobbied US legislators to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, which he describes as “a very critical part of America’s continued presence in the Asia-Pacific”.

Turnbull stressed the TPP’s importance in his talks with politicians on Capitol Hill, who included Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as in an address to the US Chamber of Commerce.

Emphasising the TPP was more than just a trade deal, Turnbull told his business audience: “It is a very important element in the maintenance of the United States as the credible, strong, consistent enduring guarantor of the rules-based international order. It sets a very high bar. It encourages countries to reform”.