China eyes fast wrap-up of trade pact with S-E Asia

Beijing

CHINA wants to seal the deal on a trade agreement with South-east Asian countries as soon as possible with a US-led pact now in doubt, a Ministry of Commerce official said Thursday.

The country will work with the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) to negotiate the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), spokesman Shen Danyang said in a briefing in Beijing, echoing President Xi Jinping's Saturday speech to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting.