In July, he said, trade between China and RCEP partners totaled 180 billion USD, up 19%, and amounting to 5.6% of the growth of China’s foreign trade. Trade between China and other members of RCEP in the first seven months of 2022 increased 7.5%. RCEP, signed in 2020 and effective January, 2022, is a free trade agreement between the ten members of ASEAN and five partners - Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and Republic of Korea.