China says will continue promoting Asia-Pacific free trade under RCEP framework

China will continue to implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in an all-round and high-quality manner and promote the upgrading of free trade in the Asia-Pacific to achieve common development and prosperity, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

The RCEP celebrated the third anniversary of its coming into force on Wednesday.

Responding to a query on the achievements of the RCEP in the past three years and China's expectations for its future development, spokesperson Mao Ning said the RCEP is the world's largest free trade agreement with the hugest population, the largest scale of trade and the greatest potential for development.

It has injected strong vitality into regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, brought market opportunities to member economies and boosted the international community's confidence in multilateralism, Mao said at a regular press briefing.

According to a study conducted by the Asian Development Bank, the RCEP is expected to bring $245 billion in economic growth to economies in the region and create 2.8 million jobs in the region, she said.