The biggest free-trade deal in the world by GDP. Signed in 2020, it links ASEAN's ten members to China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. It remains a fledgling initiative, modest in ambition and scope, but its attractiveness has grown as Donald Trump's tariffs have battered trade-dependent economies. In October 2025 four more countries—Bangladesh, Chile, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka—expressed interest in joining.
China is the biggest proponent of a stronger RCEP. At a November 2025 summit ASEAN was expected to upgrade an existing trade agreement with China, lowering yet more barriers.
"A dirty mind is a joy forever."