ASEAN countries intend to take the lead in encouraging the finalisation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement this year to promote economic growth in the region, a top Thai negotiator said.
The 13th RCEP Trade Negotiations Committee meeting began in Auckland yesterday and concludes on Saturday.
Ronnarong Poonpipat, deputy head of Thailand's Trade Negotiations Department, said Asean states shared the view that the regional group needs to demonstrate its leadership by speeding up the talks so that the draft agreement could be proposed to the leaders of RCEP's 16 member countries when they meet in September this year