President Rodrigo Duterte attends the plenary of the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Nonthaburi, Thailand on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019 (Presidential Photographers Division)
NONTHABURI, Thailand — President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday urged India to conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Program (RCEP) to narrow the development gap.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the announcement shortly after the President attended the 16th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) – India Summit.
RCEP is a free trade deal among the 10-member states of Asean and its six trading partner countries — Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
But its conclusion has long been delayed since India has been reluctant to liberalize its market, making it a key sticking point since negotiations started in 2012.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar expressed optimism the proposed free trade deal would attain progress by Monday when the 3rd RCEP Summit was scheduled to take place.
“I am very optimistic,” Andanar said in an interview. “The Prime Minister of Thailand did mention that [RCEP] in his speech this morning. ASEAN countries and six other countries, who are participants of the RCEP, have already put substantial time, investment, and money to this program.”
“I believe there is one country who has questions and wants to go back to the drawing board because they have certain issues that they want to tackle. They want to make sure that once RCEP is finalized and signed, everything will be implemented in a way that would also benefit their country,” he added.
On Saturday, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said trade ministers of Asean countries had reached a “near conclusion” on RCEP and are just waiting for “one country” to address its pending issues.
READ: RCEP deal nears conclusion at 35th Asean Summit
Lopez said he was instructed by the President to push for the conclusion of the trade deal during the 35th Asean Summit.
/atm