Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said after the election in November that Congress would not take it up. That meant it was dead.

The letter by the six ambassadors, all of whom are political appointees who leave their jobs on Friday, was symbolic. It put them on record supporting Mr. Obama’s plan more than a year after the trade chiefs of the nations involved endorsed the pact. Following is the text of the letter:

An Open Letter to Members of Congress:

Seventy-five years ago last month, an attack on the United States set us on the path to becoming the Asia-Pacific power we are today. As U.S. Ambassadors assigned to the region, we interact daily with governmental, business, and civil society leaders who appreciate profoundly the role the United States has played in underpinning the region’s security and prosperity ever since. These same leaders are now asking an alarming question: Will we relinquish our mantle as the pre-eminent force for good in the planet’s most dynamic region? The cause for their concern — possible U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). We believe their fears are justified, that walking away from TPP may be seen by future generations as the moment America chose to cede leadership to others in this part of the world and accept a diminished role. Such an outcome would be cause for celebration among those who favor “Asia for the Asians” and state capitalism. It would be disastrous for supporters of inclusive politics, rule of law, and market economics — and for U.S. national interests.

Let’s be clear. The alternative to a TPP world is not the status quo. Others are actively engaged in setting the rules of commerce in the Asia-Pacific region without the United States. In addition to its massive Eurasian infrastructure initiative, China is working on a trade pact called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with fifteen other countries, many of whom are TPP signatories. RCEP is a much lower-standard agreement that, in the absence of TPP, would likely serve as the template for economic integration in Asia and shift trade away from America, which would face higher tariffs. That would mean less U.S. exports and more jobs moving overseas.

TPP would not just cut tariffs for U.S. products. Unlike RCEP, it would compel stronger intellectual property rights, limits on subsidies to state-owned enterprises, and protection of worker rights, the environment, and a free and open internet. These enforceable commitments would give a leg up to U.S. companies already adhering to high standards — and the U.S. workers who make them the most productive in the world — and provide a powerful lever for change that we are unlikely to replicate in any other form in the near future. Without them, our companies will face even more competitive disadvantages in Asia’s booming markets.

The blow to our strategic position is even more worrisome. This is not speculation. To turn our back on our allies and friends at this critical juncture, when the tectonic plates of regional power are shifting faster than ever, would undermine our credibility not only as a reliable trade partner, but as a leader on both sides of the Pacific. It would also create a potentially destabilizing void that might even lead to conflict, an outcome which would hurt everyone in the region, including China.

The bottom line is this: TPP is good for American workers, American values, and American strategic interests. We urge the Congress to work with the new administration to find a way to realize its many benefits before the window for doing so closes. As we reflect on more than seven decades of U.S. sacrifice and stewardship in the region that will define our destiny in coming decades, we should understand that, if we fail to answer today’s call, history will pose a stern question — why did America forsake its best chance to shape the Pacific Century?

Signed by: Max Baucus, ambassador to China; Nina Hachigian, ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; Caroline Kennedy, ambassador to Japan; Mark Lippert, ambassador to South Korea; Mark Gilbert, ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa; and Kirk Wagar, ambassador to Singapore.

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