On November 15, 2020, after almost a 10-year negotiating process, the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea concluded the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement (FTA), which also contains many provisions covering areas beyond trade.

The Asean Business Advisory Council has urged the government to ratify the RCEP and the CPTPP by year-end.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Thursday that Hong Kong has sufficient conditions to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Hong Kong looks forward to commencing formal dialogues on its accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) when the partnership is ready to take on new members, a Hong Kong government official said on Saturday (June 5).

There is an aspect of the US-China technology race that is more consequential than simply mining more data or developing better technology. It is writing the rules of the digital road. In this competition over standards, whichever nation first strikes a trilateral deal with technology leaders Japan and South Korea will secure a strategic chokepoint in the digital architecture of Asia.

Key recent IP developments and trends in Vietnam

The RCEP agreement creates a free trade arrangement between ASEAN and Asia-Pacific nations, providing new trading opportunities through tariff reduction, new rules of origin, and trade-facilitation measures.

The Thai Ministry of Commerce on May 17 said three State agencies of this country are speeding up issuance of related regulations to submit the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to the ASEAN Secretariat in October.

Once ratified by three-fifths of the 15 signatories – namely six ASEAN countries and three non-ASEAN countries, the RCEP agreement will enter into force in 60 days.

Japan's parliament approved Wednesday the world's largest free trade deal, signed by 15 Asia-Pacific countries including China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, raising the possibility for the pact to enter into force later this year.