Why is Asia-Pacific’s new trade deal so important?

A third of the global economy comes under the new Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.

Ten Southeast Asian nations along with China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand have signed the free-trade agreement.

But the United States is excluded, leaving Beijing as the dominant economy in the bloc.

So, will this deal help the region’s economy?

Presenter: Bernard Smith

Guests:

Phar Kim Beng – Founder of the Strategic Pan Indo-Pacific Arena think-tank

Gareth Leather – Senior economist at Capital Economics

Stan Veuger – Resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute