Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for accelerating negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to create the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Australian counterpart. (Source: Xinhua/VNA)
Hanoi, (VNA) – ChineseForeign Minister Wang Yi has called for accelerating negotiations on the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)to create the Free Trade Areaof the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).
Beijing is open to any regional tradeagreement that benefits regional economic integration and free trade, he wasquoted by Xinhua news agency as saying at a news conference after the fourthChina-Australia Strategic and Diplomatic Dialogue in Canberra on February 7.
According to Wang Yi, among regional andsubregional cooperation mechanisms in Asia-Pacific, some are making goodprogress while others have lost momentum, but either the RCEP or TPP or any other regional arrangement isa possible path to thebroader FTAAP.
He urged relevant sides to speed up talks onthe RCEP to achieve the common goal of creating FTAAP.
Initiated in November 2012, RCEP talks includethe 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)and its six dialogue partners – China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea,Australia and New Zealand.
RCEP member countries are estimated to makeup 29 percent of global trade.
RCEP has gone through 16 rounds ofnegotiation, with the latest round held in December 2016 in Indonesia.
The 17th round of negotiations is set to takeplace in Japan in February 2017.
Within the framework of t𝓡he RCEP, countries planto remove tariff barriers for 80 percent of goods.-VNA
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The US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership is likely to help the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership wrap up faster than expected, said Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak
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New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay called on the 11 remaining member countries of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement to discuss the next step for the trade deal after the US pulled out.
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International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
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Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
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The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Australian counterpart. (Source: Xinhua/VNA)
