RCEP talks to solve trade barriers and find mutual ground

The final round of negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – a trade agreement between ten ASEAN member states and their six partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea – will focus on resolving issues and reaching mutual ground on market openness, trade freedom for goods and services as well as investment.
RCEP talks to solve trade barriers and find mutual ground ảnh 1Industry and trade minister Tran Tuan Anh (middle) at the opening of RCEP's last round of talks in Da Nang on September 23.  (VGP Photo)
Da Nang (VNA) - The final round of negotiations for the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – a trade agreement between ten ASEANmember states and their six partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, NewZealand and the Republic of Korea – will focus on resolving issues and reachingmutual ground on market openness, trade freedom for goods and services as wellas investment.

More than ever, the closer the deal gets to the finish line the greaterpolitical will required from RCEP’s sides to find solutions to remainingobstacles, said Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh at theopening ceremony of the last round of talks for the partnership in the centralcity of Da Nang on September 23.

As the host of this round of talks and the Chair of ASEAN in 2020, Vietnam willstrive to support a deal which ensures a harmonious balance between RCEP countries,as well as the region, he said.

RCEP’s final round of talk, also its 28th round since the trade deal’s initiationin 2012, will conclude on September 27.

Once in effect, RCEP is expected to become the world’s largest regional tradeagreement as it covers a market the size of almost half of the world’spopulation, 30 percent of global gross domestic product, 29 percent of globaltrade and 32.5 percent of global investment flow.

Countries have pledged to open their doors to goods and services, investmentsand to simplify custom protocols as well as to demolish barriers and facilitatetrade in the interest of developing value chains that spur the growth of theglobal economy and RCEP’s members./.
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