STORY: RCEP boosts cooperation between China, ASEAN
DATELINE: Sept. 6, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:10
LOCATION: Jakarta
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): SUN LEI, Xinhua correspondent
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): DR. MOHAMMAD FAISAL, Executive director of Center of Reform on Economics Indonesia
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): LI JIFENG, Deputy Director of China-Indonesia Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LIU YAN, Marketing operation director of Wuling Indonesia

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): SUN LEI, Xinhua correspondent
"China and ASEAN share deep and close cooperation in trade and economy. And RCEP brings them even closer. The RCEP, the world's largest free trade deal, comprises 15 members: the 10 ASEAN member states, plus China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The pact entered into force on Jan. 1, 2022, with the goal of gradually eliminating tariffs on more than 90 percent of goods traded among its members."

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MOHAMMAD FAISAL, Executive director of Center of Reform on Economics Indonesia
"I think it's pretty obvious that the intensity of cooperations especially in trade and investment between the ASEAN countries and China is very significantly increasing. We can see now that (for) almost every country in ASEAN, the biggest trading partner of these countries is China. 
With the existence of RCEP since one and a half years ago, I think the intensity of operations within between ASEAN countries and China will become more and more significant.
With the RCEP, the extent of reduction of tariff barriers is even more evident. But RCEP is not just about trading goods, but also trade in services and also in investments."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): LI JIFENG, Deputy director of China-Indonesia Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone
"Since the RCEP entered into force, the good transportation and currency settlement have become more convenient for these foreign trade enterprises in our industry park. And from a medium- to long-term point of view, the manufacturing enterprises will also see a positive influence, which will boost the transportation of raw materials, machinery manufacturing, machinery import and export, etc."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LIU YAN, Marketing operation director of Wuling Indonesia
"I think the RCEP will bring the cooperation between Indonesia and China even closer. The most obvious benefit for us is that the tariffs on electric vehicle parts have been significantly reduced, from the original 5 or 3.5 percent to zero."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Jakarta.
(XHTV)