The 11 remaining Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) members still hope to work something out before it is dead, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Wednesday, reported China’s Xinhua news agency.

Lee made the remarks while attending a discussion held by US think-tank Council on Foreign Relations.

"We just accept that what we have put a lot of hope on is not going to happen," said Lee, adding that the remaining countries will "make the best of the new situation."

The TPPA was signed in February 2016 by Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, US and Vietnam after more than five years’ negotiation.

President Donald Trump announced in January the withdrawal of the United States from the deal, saying it would hurt the interests of his country.

"The other 11 members of the TPPA negotiations are talking among ourselves to see what we can work out," Lee said.

"Had we started without the United States, we could have worked out a deal," he added.

Under current rules, to make the TPPA pact come into effect, at least six original signatories have to successfully ratify the agreement, and they must represent 85 percent of the total GDP of the 12 original signatories.

Lee is on a six-day visit to the United States starting Saturday.

- Bernama