The statement was published on Sunday after the RCEP Ministerial Meeting in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province on the sidelines of the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting (AEM-54).

According to the statement, the Ministerial Meeting welcomed the entry into force of RCEP on January 1, 2022, and expected the agreement to be ratified by all participating member countries and ultimately enhance regional economic integration.

RCEP, signed in 2020, is a free trade agreement between the ten members of ASEAN and five partners - Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.