Embassy of India
Beijing
PRESS RELEASE
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8th RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial meeting held in Beijing on 2-3 August 2019

‬The Commerce Secretary Dr. AnupWadhawan led a delegation to the 8th RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial meeting held in Beijing on 2-3 August 2019. During the meeting he highlighted India’s contribution in shaping the RCEP negotiations till date. He advocated a spirit of understanding accommodation and flexibility towards reaching balanced outcome in the negotiations. India’s concerns regarding market access and other issues leading to imbalanced trade between some of the partner countries was specifically flagged during the meetings.

On the side-lines of the Ministerial meeting, the Commerce Secretary held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from China, Thailand, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and ASEAN Economic Ministers. ‬

In his meeting with Mr. Wang Shouwen, Vice Minister of Commerce of China, the Commerce Secretary emphasized the importance of an RCEP agreement that would duly address the causes of existing trade imbalances. He used this opportunity to flag bilateral market access related issues on various categories of products in which discussions are ongoing between India and China. He also emphasized the importance of easing the business visas regime of China for Indian business travellers.

In his meeting with Mr. BoonyaritKalayanamit, Permanent Secretary of Thailand, the Commerce Secretary requested Thailand to improve its offer in goods and services under RCEP. In his meeting with Mr. Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore, the Commerce Secretary requested Singapore to support operationalization of the MRA on nursing as agreed in the 2nd CECA review and work towards speedy progress on the 3rd CECA review.

‬During the meeting with ASEAN Economic Ministers, the Commerce Secretary highlighted the importance of services trade which supports both goods trade and investment. Commerce Secretary also met Mr. Simon Birmingham, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment of Australia wherein both sides appreciated the progress made under RCEP and the need to move forward on each other’s requests including service sector related requests of India. Commerce Secretary requested greater market access for Indian goods and services from Mr. EnggartiastoLukita, Trade Minister of Indonesia. During his meeting with Ms. MyungHeeYoo, Minister for Trade, Republic of Korea, Commerce Secretary pushed for concrete measures to improve the India-Korea CEPA and address concerns regarding imbalances. He also asked for early resolution of issues pertaining to market access for India’s services sector. The Commerce Secretary also met Mr. S. Tanaka, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and Mr. Damien O’ Connor, Minister of State for Trade, New Zealand.

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新闻稿

商务秘书Anup Wadhawan博士率领代表团出席了2019年8月2日至3日在北京举行的第8次《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》（RCEP）北京部长级会议。在这次会议上，他强调了印度迄今为止在推动RCEP谈判方面的所做出的贡献。他提倡理解、包容和灵活性的精神，以便在谈判中取得稳妥的成果。会上还特别提到印度对市场准入和其他导致部分伙伴国之间贸易不平衡问题的担忧。

在部长级会议期间，商务秘书还与中国、泰国、韩国、新西兰、澳大利亚、新加坡、印度尼西亚、日本和东盟经济部长举行了双边会谈。

在会见中国商务部副部长王受文先生时，商务秘书强调了《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》（RCEP）的重要性，该协定将会适时解决现存的贸易失衡现象的原因。借此机会，他明确了印度和中国正在讨论的各种产品类别的双边市场准入问题。他还强调了放宽中国商务签证制度对印度商务访客的重要性。

在会见泰国常驻秘书Boonyarit Kalayanamit先生时，商务秘书希望泰国改进其在《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》下，货物和服务的报价。在会见新加坡贸易与工业部长陈春星（CHAN CHUN SING）先生时，商务秘书希望新加坡支持CECA的第二轮检讨工作中商定的护理行业的MRA的可操作性，并致力于加速开展CECA的第三轮检讨工作。

在与东盟经济部长的会议上，商务秘书强调了用以支撑商品贸易和投资的服务贸易的重要性。商务秘书还会见了澳大利亚贸易、旅游和投资部长西蒙•伯明翰先生(SIMON BIRMINGHAM)，双方对在RCEP中取得的进展表示欢迎，并对积极推进彼此提出的要求（包括印度提出的与服务业相关的要求）表示赞赏。商务秘书希望印尼贸易部长EnggartiastoLukita先生扩大印度商品和服务业进入印尼市场。在与大韩民国贸易部长明希瑶女士（MYUNG HEE YOO）的会谈中，商务秘书采取推动改善印韩CEPA的具体措施，并解决有关失衡的问题。他还要求尽早解决印度服务业市场准入问题。商务秘书还会见了日本经济、贸易和工业部长S.Tanaka先生和新西兰贸易部长Damien O’Connor先生。

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