[Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull] and the other leaders from the Association of South-East Asian Nations have pledged to work toward a “swift conclusion” of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, declaring in a joint statement it would be “a modern, comprehensive, high quality” deal.
Following the recent signing of the 11-member Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal in Chile, the Turnbull Government has confirmed that Australia will head into a new secretive 16-member mega trade pact called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is expected to be concluded by year’s end. From The AFR: