Trade ministers from 11 Pacific Rim countries have announced an agreement on a rebadged Trans-Pacific Partnership.

“We have reached an agreement on a number of fundamental parts,” Vietnam's trade minister, Tran Tuan Anh, told reporters on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Mr Anh and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi said more work needed to be done before the plan can be formally endorsed.

Only 11 countries remain in the trade pact after US President Donald Trump rejected it in January, forcing them to revise the deal without US involvement.

Mr Motegi said it required a difficult balance between maintaining high standards and pragmatism.

“Through a pragmatic response of the officials involved we could come to an agreement.”

“The substance is something all the TPP countries can agree on.

“This will send a very strong message to the US and the other countries in the region.”

The trade pact is now called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The official basic agreement was delayed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s refusal to join other leaders to endorse the agreement going ahead without the US.

Canada's Minister for International Commerce later confirmed the country’s support.