KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called on Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) members to deepen the collaboration and build a foundation for lasting peace and shared prosperity.
When opening the fifth RCEP Summit, Anwar stressed the “special significance” of the first in-person leaders’ meeting since the agreement was signed in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges have strongly rebounded, underscoring the resilience and shared prosperity that define the RCEP spirit,” he said, emphasising that cooperation must extend beyond trade to encompass peace and regional stability.
“We meet at a pivotal moment. Seize this opportunity for open, forward-looking dialogue. By working together, we can lay the foundation for enduring peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific,” Anwar said.
RCEP aims to lower trade barriers and improve market access for goods and services across the region through frameworks covering trade in goods and services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement, e-commerce, and SMEs.
The partnership holds significant potential for Southeast Asian and East Asian businesses, with its 16 members accounting for nearly half the world’s population, 30 per cent of the global GDP, and over a quarter of world exports.
The Asean Summit began yesterday and runs until tomorrow at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Malaysia is current Asean chair, with the Philippines to assume the position from January 1 next year.
