U.S. President Barack Obama has announced that Washington will engage in a four-member Trans- Pacific Partnership, a cornerstone to build a broader open trade area in the Asia-Pacific region, U.S. top trade official said Saturday.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk told businessmen attending the CEO Simmit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Singapore that Obama made the commitment early Saturday morning during his visit to Japan, the first leg of President Obama's first Asia trip.

Kirk said the U.S. engagement will be done with close consultation with the Congress and the business community.

The U.S. has limited participation in over a hundred bilateral and regional free trade agreements inked among members of the 21 APEC economies. Obama's first Asia trip, including his attendance at the APEC summit Sunday, is widely expected to accelerate Washington's efforts to engage with Asian economies, most of which are the powerhouse in the current global economic recovery.

"We believe a high-standard regional trade agreement under the Trans-Pacific Partnership can help bring home to the American people the jobs and economic prosperity," said Kirk.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership was signed by New Zealand, Chile, Singapore and Brunei in the summer of 2005 to promote regional trade and economic integration.