The RCEP Cooperation and Development Symposium was held in Beijing on June 4th, where participants discussed the new changes and current opportunities and challenges brought about by the implementation of RCEP and put forward suggestions to enhance cooperation. The RCEP Industrial Cooperation Committee released the "2026 RCEP Business Cooperation Development Initiative" at the meeting.

Xu Ningning, Chairman of the RCEP Industrial Cooperation Committee, stated that 2026 is a crucial year for the continued deepening of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) implementation. Currently, global commodity price fluctuations are intensifying, external market demand is clearly differentiated, and geopolitical factors continue to impact the stability of global industrial and supply chains, while the RCEP regional economy maintains an overall recovery trend. From January to April this year, the economic growth rate of the RCEP region was higher than the global average, and the total import and export volume between China and other RCEP member countries increased by 23.5% year-on-year.

Xu Ningning mentioned that it is worth noting that in the overall recovery process of RCEP member countries, RCEP regional cooperation faces five obstacles, including external shocks, structural imbalances, uneven development, weak momentum, and hindered cooperation, which constrain the high-quality development of regional integration.

Xu Ningning suggested that all relevant parties should rely on the consensus reached at the fifth RCEP Leaders' Meeting held in October last year to seize new business opportunities for RCEP regional cooperation; Market entities of each member state should actively seize the opportunities of regional integration development, make precise use of the RCEP system rules such as accumulation of origin and tariff reduction, strengthen cross-border industrial chain cooperation, deeply cultivate key areas such as green manufacturing, digital economy, artificial intelligence, modern agriculture, cultural and tourism services, and continue to tap into the incremental potential of regional cooperation.

At the meeting, the "2026 RCEP Business Cooperation and Development Initiative" was released, emphasizing the implementation of high-level consensus and the improvement of regional coordination system; Digging deeper into the benefits of the agreement and strengthening multilateral and bilateral cooperation; Focus on key areas and smooth the regional industrial chain; Relying on various platforms to expand industry cooperation carriers; Deepen mutual trust and integration, gather strength and work together for long-term development.

At the meeting, Liu Xin, Secretary General of the RCEP Industrial Cooperation Committee, introduced the recent key work to assist all parties in cooperation. The Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of Vietnam in China, the Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of Indonesia in China, the Economic Counselor of the Embassy of Australia in China, the Director of the Beijing Representative Office of the Japan External Trade Organization, the Economic Counselor of the Embassy of Myanmar in China, the Deputy Director of the Beijing Representative Office of the Korea External Trade Organization, the Tourism Counselor of the Embassy of the Philippines in China, Brunei business officials, and representatives of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce attended the meeting. Participants expressed their desire to enhance cooperation and affirmed the positive work and achievements of the RCEP Industrial Cooperation Committee.