MEXICO CITY - Mexico on Monday formally joined the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), a trade alliance representing 26 percent of global GDP, Economy Ministry announced.

The ministry said in a statement that the membership "has been the result of an intense effort, which began in November 2011, when Mexico expressed interest in being part of this negotiation".

Following talks between US President Barack Obama and his Mexican counterpart Felipe Calderon on the sidelines of the June summit of the Group of 20 in Mexico's Los Cabos, participants from the TPP countries extended the invitation to Mexico to join the Agreement.

Mexico now became the tenth member of the TPP.