What’s new: President Xi Jinping said China will consider hosting the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation next year, which would be the first time for the event to be held since the start of the pandemic.
Xi made the announcement Friday while speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.
The last Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in April 2019 in Beijing, where it was attended by leaders from around 40 countries and international organizations. The first forum took place in May 2017.
What’s more: Xi said China will work with members in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve a “full and high-quality implementation” of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the world’s largest free trade deal that counts China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as signatories.
China will also continue to work toward joining other trade deals, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), as it seeks to promote regional development, according to the statement.
Contact reporter Kelly Wang (jingzhewang@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)
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