While the Trump administration engages China in a trade war, the rest of Asia, including major U.S. allies, are joining Beijing this weekend in a virtual meeting to sign one of the world’s largest free trade agreements. NPR’s Julie McCarthy has the story.
JULIE MCCARTHY, BYLINE: With the stroke of their pens, representatives of 10 Southeast Asian countries, plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, will usher in the world’s newest mega-trade bloc. Its bland name masks its import. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, encompasses nearly a third of the world’s population and accounts for nearly a third of the global GDP. Read More.
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