The 11 countries remaining in the Trans-Pacific Partnership after the pullout of the United States signed the revised trade pact on Thursday, in a show of unity in pushing free trade amid a rising protectionist threat by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Asia-Pacific countries seek to bring the pact, renamed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership and known as TPP 11, into force in early 2019 to create a trade bloc covering nearly 13 percent of the world's gross domestic product and some 500 million people.

"Ministers shared the view that, by achieving a high standard and well-balanced outcome, the agreement will strengthen the mutually-beneficial linkages among our economies, boost trade, investment and economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region, and create new opportunities for businesses, consumers, families, farmers and workers," they said in a joint statement.