The sixth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Trade Ministers’ Meeting was held in Singapore.

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP): 

• RCEP is a proposed proposed free trade agreement (FTA) or comprehensive regional economic integration agreement between the 10-ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and its six FTA partners (Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Japan and Korea).
• Its negotiations were formally launched at 2012 ASEAN Summit in Cambodia.
• Till 2017, 16 RCEP member states accounted for population of 3.4 billion people with total GDP (in terms of PPP) of $49.5 trillion, approximately 38% of the world’s GDP (combined GDPs of China and India makes up more than half that amount) and 29% of world trade.