China vows to promote bilateral, multilateral trade deals

BEIJING - China will actively participate in bilateral and multilateral trade deals, regardless of developments to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deals, a commerce official said Thursday.

China will work with all parties concerned to negotiate the RCEP and push for an conclusion as soon as possible, with full respect for the core status of ASEAN in the deal, Commerce Ministry spokesperson Shen Danyang said at a press conference.

The comments came after US president-elect Donald Trump said he would withdraw the United States from the TPP, a free trade pact between 12 Asia-Pacific countries.

Shen said China will continue to deepen reforms, open up its economy and cooperate with the World Trade Organization members to create a free and favorable environment for global trade.

RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement between the 10 member states of ASEAN, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India.