Tan Kai, chairman of the Padawan Municipal Council and mayor of Padawan in Malaysia, praised the RCEP expo and its strong trade potential during an interview on June 27 at the fourth RCEP (Shandong) Import Expo in Linyi, Shandong.

He highlighted that Malaysia has over 7 million ethnic Chinese, many of whom speak fluent Chinese and preserve their cultural heritage. The strong foundation in language and culture provides a unique advantage in promoting China-Malaysia cooperation under the RCEP framework.

The RCEP expo, which runs until June 29, attracts exhibitors from 66 countries and regions, including 179 enterprises from the RCEP region, providing a collaborative platform for both domestic and international companies.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is comprised of 15 members – the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Australia, and New Zealand. The RCEP was signed in November 2020 and went into effect on Jan 1, 2022, with the aim of gradually eliminating tariffs on over 90 percent of goods traded among its members.