Canada will seek to join a new Asian trade block as it tries to increase energy exports to the region following the U.S. decision to delay approval of TransCanada Corp.'s $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said.

"This does underscore the necessity of Canada making sure that we're able to access Asian markets for our energy products, and that will be an important priority of this government going forward," Harper said late yesterday, according to a transcript of remarks to reporters at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Honolulu.

Harper told President Barack Obama in Hawaii that Canada is interested in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks to boost trade with Asian nations, according to a statement from the White House. The Trans-Pacific is a trade agreement being negotiated by the U.S. and eight other countries, including Malaysia and Vietnam.