BANGKOK, Oct 8 (TNA) – Thailand is to host a ministerial
meeting on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on Saturday (Oct 12).
Following the 28th round of RCEP negotiations in Da Nang,
Vietnam, last month, Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce will host a meeting of
negotiators on Thursday and Friday and the 9th RCEP ministerial-level meeting
on Saturday.
Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Trade
Negotiations Department, said Tuesday the upcoming meetings would consider the
remaining seven out of 20 chapters of the draft agreement.
Thailand has pushed ahead the negotiation hoping to conclude
the agreement this year to establish the RCEP consisting of 10 member states of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and six dialogue partners —
China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.
The RCEP covering nearly half of the global economy would
greatly strengthen participating economies and facilitate vibrant trade and
investment, said Auromon.
After seven years of negotiations that have been dragging
on, Thailand wished to draw a conclusion to the RCEP as it holds ASEAN
chairmanship this year. (TNA)
