STORY: Forum held in China's Anhui to enhance cooperation among RCEP members
DATELINE: June 11, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:39
LOCATION: HEFEI, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): HE XIYUE, Xinhua correspondent
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KAO KIM HOURN, Secretary-General of ASEAN
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): CHEN JUN, Deputy general manager of Chacha Food Co., Ltd.

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): HE XIYUE, Xinhua correspondent
"We are now in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province. The 2023 Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) local governments and friendship cities cooperation (Huangshan) forum was held here from June 9 to 10. About 500 Chinese and foreign guests gathered together to discuss new opportunities for RCEP economic and trade cooperation."

The RCEP agreement entered into force for China and nine other countries on the first day of 2022, creating the world's largest trade bloc.

The agreement is now in effect for all its 15 members as the pact came into force for the Philippines on June 2.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KAO KIM HOURN, Secretary-General of ASEAN
"The RCEP agreement has entered into force for all its Parties.
I am glad to see that the statistics show that the growth in China's foreign trade with RCEP countries also includes increasing trade with ASEAN member states.
These numbers demonstrate the economic benefits that can be delivered by the RCEP agreement."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): CHEN JUN, Deputy general manager of Chacha Food Co., Ltd.
"As our company grows, we'll need the supply of resources from overseas. And we also need to expand international cooperation in the R&D of products."

In 2022, trade between China and other RCEP members increased 7.5 percent year on year to 12.95 trillion yuan (about 1.82 trillion U.S. dollars), while their investment in China, in actual use, went up 23.1 percent to 23.53 billion U.S. dollars.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hefei, China.
(XHTV)