Paragraph 1
Fifteen Asian and Pacific
have signed the world's
free trade deal. It is called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The countries include 10 Southeast
economies along with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. These countries account for around 30 per cent of the
economy. The
for the RCEP started in 2012. The governments have been talking to each other since then. China was
in pushing the deal forward to help economies during the coronavirus
. An economics
said: "COVID-19 has reminded the region of why trade
and governments are more eager than ever to have positive economic
."
