The Third International Cooperation Forum on RCEP Trade and Investment was held on Tuesday in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, showcasing the latest achievements of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). New cooperation agreements were signed between Chinese and Laotian companies, further deepening ties between the two countries.

RCEP has 15 Asia-Pacific countries as its members: China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, representing more than 30 percent of global GDP and population.

A regional expert said on Thursday that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) have boosted Cambodia’s trade and investment.

Early trends suggest that, in the period post Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), China has demonstrated superior gains when compared to other participating nations. Studies suggest that India's decision to abstain from RCEP stemmed primarily from a commitment to shield its manufacturing sector. A comprehensive understanding of this situation necessitates an exploration of the challenges faced by Indian manufacturing, not only from China but also from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) route.

Since the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) took effect two years ago, it has heated up trade between China and Vietnam, with a total of 382 cross-border freight trains having been launched from China's Guangxi to Vietnam as of December 31, 2023.

The new investment law, free trade pacts with China and South Korea and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) along with peace prevailing in the country helped Cambodia to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2023, particularly to its industrial sector, according to experts.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is in hibernation now and it can only be restored with many changes, Indian trade and connectivity expert Dr Prabir De has said.

Japan is the partner that has signed the most bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) with Vietnam which open up many opportunities for stronger trade cooperation between the two nations, according to Tran Quang Huy, Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Asia-Africa Market Department.

In a factory in Fuling District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, a batch of uniformly sized, emerald-green pickled mustard tubers roll off the production line. Soon, they will be packaged and shipped to Japan's Yokohama.

Global supply chains have been subjected to multiple shocks over the past few years. The most notable one has been the three-year-long COVID-19 pandemic. The disruptions from the pandemic were compounded by the outbreak of military conflict between Russia and Ukraine in early 2022. The economic costs triggered by the disruption of food and energy supply chains are likely to increase because of the Israel-Palestine conflict now.