The long-awaited Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the most consequential achievement in facilitating East Asian economic integration in the past 20 years, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy China International Trade Representative Wang Shouwen said Sunday.
"This agreement covers the largest population any free trade deal has covered so far and has the most potential among global trade deals. It can be said that this agreement is the most important achievement of regional economic integration and trade and investment liberalization in East Asia over the past 20 years," Wang said.
Backed by China, the sprawling RCEP is seen as a coup for Beijing in extending its influence across the region and marks its dominance in Asian trade. After eight years of wrangling over the details, the trade pact 鈥
