Senior diplomat gatherings push for free trade, stability

Senior diplomats including State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for bolstering rules-based free trade and tackling protectionism at annual gatherings concerning East Asian cooperation in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday.

The gatherings included the annual ASEAN+3 foreign ministers' meeting, which involves all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

At the meeting, Wang called on countries to resolutely champion multilateralism and free trade and push for a conclusion of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership deal before the end of the year.