Hong Kong strives to join regional trade deal RCEP, says Finance Secretary

HONG KONG (BLOOMBERG) – Hong Kong hopes to be part of the first group of economies to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) after the agreement takes effect, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said in a blog post on his website on Sunday (Nov 22). The total bilateral trade between Hong Kong and the 15 member states of RCEP accounts for 71 per cent of Hong Kong’s total trade in goods, Mr Chan wrote. “Joining the RCEP agreement will benefit trade in services and investment.” On Nov 15, Asia-Pacific nations including China, Japan and South Korea signed the world’s largest…