Asia trade deal could be world’s largest
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The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) seeks to create a free trade zone among the 10 ASEAN members and six other Asia-Pacific countries – potentially the world’s biggest trading bloc
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REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP (RCEP) COVERAGE
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ASEAN member countries Population (2018)
Other trading partners
Gross domestic product, in US$ (2018)
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RCEP total Would account for one-third of global GDP and nearly half of world’s population

China 1.4 billion 13.6 trillion

South Korea 51.6 million 1.6 trillion

India 1.35 billion 2.7 trillion

Japan 126.5 million 5 trillion

Australia 25 million 1.4 trillion

ASEAN* (2017 figures) 642.1 million 2.8 trillion

New Zealand 4.9 million 205 billion
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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has voiced concerns over China-backed trade deal.

Delhi fears its domestic market may be flooded with cheap Chinese agricultural and industrial products once import barriers fall
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*Association of Southeast Asian Nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
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Sources: ASEAN, Reuters, World Bank Picture: Associated Press © GRAPHIC NEWS