More talks expected on RCEP trade pact

Countries taking part in talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership are expected to hold four more rounds of meetings, which may involve a gathering of state leaders in 2018, said a Ministry of Commerce official on Tuesday.

Since the first negotiations for the mega-trade pact were initiated in 2013, a total of 20 rounds of talks, at both the ministerial and state leader levels, have been held between 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and India.

"The negotiations have achieved steady progress in the market entry permits of goods and service trade. In terms of rule-making, progress has been made in economic and technology cooperation and small enterprises," said Zhang Shaogang, director-general of the department of international trade and economic affairs at the ministry.