What they say

The RCEP will further facilitate trade between China and Vietnam in the coming years, as well as help them to build strong value and production chains to support regional economic integration and the global economy. The agreement will significantly reduce trade costs in the Asia-Pacific region and improve the competitiveness of products in the region, thereby bringing more business opportunities for companies, and more choices and benefits for customers. This is also of great benefit to consumers.

Nguyen Huy Hoang, director-general of the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations will have great growth potential in the future. At present, ASEAN has 600 million people, while the European Union only has 440 million, so ASEAN really needs China as a strong driver to promote its development and achieve strong economic expansion. China is well-positioned to benefit from the RCEP and can use its technologies to further expand the ASEAN market. ASEAN economies can also have better access to China and tap into its vast consumer market.

Dar Wong, vice-president, ASEAN-China Commerce Association

The media serves as an important bridge and bond for friendly exchanges and people-to-people connectivity. Media exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN and China will contribute to tightening cultural ties between the peoples, enhancing mutual understanding and boosting regional development... I hope the media of the two sides will further enhance exchanges, strengthen cooperation and nurture favorable public opinion for the development of ASEAN-China relations in the future.

Arianto Surojo, director of the information and public relations division at the ASEAN-China Centre

The role of the media and think tanks for the RCEP will be significant. The media should seize the opportunities brought by the RCEP and actively participate in bringing forward rational voices and bolster positive public opinion for regional trade liberalization. The media and think tanks should work to create an enabling climate for RCEP implementation in all member countries and deliver positive outcomes.

Ou Boqian, secretary-general of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat

The coming into force of the RCEP agreement is a major boon to creating new opportunities. It has brought confidence to the peaceful development and win-win cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. The (COVID-19) pandemic will eventually end. As long as we build a consensus on solidarity and cooperation and promote the development of globalization in a more open, inclusive, win-win direction, humans will surely be able to withstand the challenge of the pandemic.

Su Ge, former president of the China Institute of International Studies and former co-chair of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council

The most important thing about the RCEP agreement is that it provides an open market framework based on rules for the East Asia region. Under the framework of the RCEP agreement, a new round of technological revolution can help build larger and more efficient transnational networks supported by artificial intelligence. Regional integration also faces new challenges, including the disruption to industrial chains caused by the (COVID-19) pandemic.

Zhang Yunling, academician of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a professor at Shandong University