Xinhua Silk Road: RCEP accelerates regional development and boosts local cooperation, official

BEIJING, June 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has not only become an "accelerator" and "stabilizer" for regional development but also brought unprecedented opportunities for local cooperation, Shi Zhongjun, secretary-general of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), said in a recent interview at the sidelines of the 2025 RCEP Local Governments and Friendship Cities Cooperation (Huangshan) Forum held on June 5 in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province.

Photo shows Shi Zhongjun, secretary-general of the ASEAN-China Centre, delivers a speech during the 2025 RCEP Local Governments and Friendship Cities Cooperation (Huangshan) Forum held on June 5 in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province.

In this regard, Anhui Province boasts evident advantages in fields such as green economy and digital economy development, with strong accumulation of technical expertise that matches the development needs of Southeast Asian countries, Shi noted, mentioning strong willingness expressed by Southeast Asian countries during the event to strengthen cooperation with Anhui in the fields such as new energy industries and talent cultivation.

The implementation of RCEP has greatly enhanced trade facilitation within the region. Also, more detailed and transparent investment rules have deepened the liberalization of investment, creating vast opportunities for mutual investment, Shi noted, highlighting RCEP's role in strengthening the resilience and connectivity of regional industrial and supply chains amid global economic uncertainties and other challenges.

Shi pointed out that RCEP also benefited cooperation among local governments. Through trade and investment facilitation measures, RCEP has directly boosted local economic and trade links and created opportunities for multi-level and wide-ranging exchanges and cooperation. Covering multiple dimensions such as education, science and technology, culture, and tourism, RCEP has built new platforms for local people-to-people exchanges.

Shi emphasized that RCEP had played the key role of a regional economic "stabilizer" by deepening economic and trade cooperation, enhancing the resilience of industrial and supply chains, and expanding cooperation in emerging fields.

The ACC will continue to be committed to promoting comprehensive and pragmatic cooperation while sharing new opportunities for regional prosperity and development, Shi said.

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