*ThefullRCEPimplementationmarksanewstagefortheworld"slargesttradebloc.
*Amiddecliningglobalopennessandrisingtradecosts,theRCEPishelpingtopromoteopening-upandcooperationintheregionandbeyond.
*ChinaexpectsamoreprosperousintegratedregionalmarketandbroadercooperationamongRCEPmembercountries.
(相关资料图)
BEIJING,June2(Xinhua)--TheRegionalComprehensiveEconomicPartnership(RCEP)agreementcameintoforceinthePhilippinesonFriday,meaningtheworld"slargestfreetradepactisnowineffectforallits15members.
ThefullimplementationoftheRCEPisanewstageforthetradeblocwiththeworld"slargestpopulationandtradevolumeaswellasthegreatestdevelopmentpotential,saidChina"scommerceministry.
Itreflectsthedeterminationandactionsofits15members--10AssociationofSoutheastAsianNationsmemberstates,China,Japan,theRepublicofKorea,AustraliaandNewZealand--tosupportanopen,free,fair,inclusiveandrules-basedmultilateraltradingsystem,theministrysaid.
SignedinNovember2020aftereightyearsofnegotiations,thelandmarkRCEPagreementcoversroughly30percentoftheworld"sgrossdomesticproductandpopulation.ItenteredintoforceonJan.1,2022,withtheaimofgraduallyeliminatingtariffsonover90percentofgoodstradedamongitsmembers.
ThesigningceremonyoftheRegionalComprehensiveEconomicPartnership(RCEP)agreementisheldviavideoconferenceinHanoi,Vietnam,Nov.15,2020.(VNAviaXinhua)
Thefullimplementationwillinjectstrongmomentumintoregionaleconomicintegration,comprehensivelyenhancethelevelsoftradeandinvestmentliberalizationandfacilitationinEastAsia,andcontributetothelong-termstabledevelopmentoftheregionalandglobaleconomies,accordingtothecommerceministry.
PhilippineTradeandIndustrySecretaryAlfredoPascualdescribedtheRCEPagreementas"amodern,comprehensive,high-qualityandmutuallybeneficialeconomicpartnership."
"WeseeRCEPasacriticalkeytowardinclusiveeconomicgrowth,notonlyforthePhilippinesbutwithinASEAN,"hesaidinastatementreleasedonThursday,priortothePhilippines"ratificationofthepact.
INITIALFRUITS
Sincethetradepactcameintoforcelastyear,goodstradetiesamongRCEPmembershavebecomecloser,andintra-regionaltradeisnowakeyforceinstabilizingandboostingtheforeigntradeofRCEPmembers,China"scommerceministrynoted.
In2022,tradebetweenChinaandotherRCEPmembersincreased7.5percentyearonyearto12.95trillionyuan(about1.82trillionU.S.dollars),andRCEPinvestmentinChina,inactualuse,climbed23.1percentto23.53billionU.S.dollars,datashows.
Boomingforeigntradehasalsobeenreportedinothermembercountries.Thailand"stradewithotherRCEPmembersrose7.11percentyearonyearto300billionU.S.dollarslastyear.Inthefirstfourmonthsof2023,Cambodia"sexportstoRCEPcountriessurged16percentyearonyear.
AworkerarrangesduriansatadurianprocessingfactoryintheChanthaburiprovince,Thailand,May5,2022.(Xinhua/WangTeng)
TheRCEPregionhascontinuedtobeahotspotforglobalinvestment,withmostmembersshowingupwardtrendsintheirutilizationofforeigninvestment,accordingtoChina"scommerceministry.
GuQingyang,anassociateprofessorattheNationalUniversityofSingapore"sLeeKuanYewSchoolofPublicPolicy,toldXinhuathatthevibrantdynamismoftheregionisalsoastrongattractionforeconomiesoutsidetheregion,whichiswitnessingincreasingnon-RCEPinvestment.
Amiddecliningglobalopennessandrisingtradecosts,theRCEPishelpingtopromoteopening-upandcooperationintheregionandbeyond,andiscontributingtoglobaleconomicdevelopment,saidRebecaGrynspan,secretary-generaloftheUnitedNationsConferenceonTradeandDevelopment.
HIGHER-STANDARDOPENING-UP
Opening-upcommitments,togetherwithhigh-standardrulesinvariousfields,willgreatlyfacilitatefreeflowsofproductionfactorslikerawmaterials,goods,technologies,humanresources,capital,informationanddatawithintheregion,thecommerceministrysaid.
Withthefullimplementationofthedeal,theministryexpectsamoreprosperousintegratedregionalmarkettoformgradually,andbroader,higher-standardanddeepercooperationtobeachievedamongmembercountries.
ItalsohopesthatthefullimplementationofRCEPwillgiveChinaastrongboosttopursuehigh-standardopening-upbycreatingmorefavorableconditionsfortheexpansionoftradeingoodswithRCEPmembers,furtheropeningtradeinservicesandinvestment,andimprovingtradefacilitationandthebusinessenvironment.
ThisaerialphototakenonFeb.23,2023showstheQinzhouPortinsouthChina"sGuangxiZhuangAutonomousRegion.(Xinhua)
BiHaijun,anofficialofQingdaoCustomsineastChina,saidtheRCEPagreementhasnotonlyeasedenterprises"accesstofreetradebenefits,butalsointegratedregionalindustrialandsupplychains,whichwillfacilitatethehigh-qualitydevelopmentofintra-regionaltrade.
LocalgovernmentsinChinahavealsotakentheopportunityoftheimplementationtobuildafirst-classbusinessenvironment,makingcontinuouseffortstoattractindustries,capitalandhumanresources,accordingtothecommerceministry.
Asthetradepactisnowinfullforce,Chinawillcontinuetoguidelocalgovernments,industriesandenterprisestoensurethesolidimplementationoftheRCEP,provideimprovedpublicservices,andcreateconditionsforthemtoengagefurtherintheRCEPmarket,theministrysaid.
Chinawillalsoworkwithotherpartiestofulfillitsobligations,strengthentheRCEPmechanism,enhancetheoverallimplementationoftheagreement,andprovideastrongguaranteeforthesteadydevelopmentofRCEPcooperation,theministrypledged.
(Videoreporters:ZhuYubo,KangWenjun,WangHuan,AliJaswal,TariqHameed;videoeditors:ZhangQiru,ZhangYuhong,WuYao)
