Singapore (VNA)– Ministers from 16 countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partner(RCEP) adopted a joint statement in Singapore on August 31.
In the joint statement, theministers assessed the developments since the 5th RCEP IntersessionalMinisterial Meeting on 1 July 2018 in Tokyo, Japan, including the outcomes ofthe 23rd round of negotiations held on 17-27 July 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand.
They also provided guidanceon specific issues elevated by the Trade Negotiating Committee and exchangedviews on the next steps toward the conclusion of negotiations.
They welcomed the conclusionof two additional chapters at the 23rd round of negotiations, namely the Chapterson Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation and Government Procurement,bringing the total concluded chapters to date to four.
The ministers adopted aPackage of Year-End Deliverables developed by the Trade Negotiating Committee,and welcomed the plans to achieve the targets set out in the Package.
They tasked negotiators toleverage on the positive momentum to expeditiously bring negotiations to amutually beneficial and fair conclusion. To this end, negotiators wereinstructed to exert utmost efforts to achieve each of the targets in thePackage by the end of this year.
The delegates expressed thehope that completion of the Package would signify the substantial conclusion ofthe RCEP negotiations this year.
They looked forward to the next update from thenegotiators before the yearend, and agreed to keep the lines of communicationopen and stand ready to provide prompt guidance and support to thenegotiations, including through intensified domestic consultations, so as toachieve the targets set out in the Package.
RCEP comprises the 10 ASEANcountries, plus Japan, China, the Republic
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Delegates to the meeting (Source: VNA) 
