Hong Kong Chief Executive Li Jiachao, who is about to take two years, is reported that next month will lead the business delegation to visit Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.This is his third visit to foreign countries and the second visit to the Asianan country for the third time, and the entire schedule is about five to six days.Based on the news of different Hong Kong media, winning Hong Kong to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) is a major issue for Li Jiachao's foreign visit.

RCEP came into effect on January 1, 2022, and there are 15 members, including 10 countries in mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, covering nearly one -third of the world's population and total national product valueIt is the world's most populous free trade agreement.The members of the agreement can enjoy a variety of discounts and benefits, such as reducing tariffs, simplify customs procedures, and strengthen the supply chain. The goal is to cancel more than 90%of commodity tariffs between members within 20 years.

As a free trade port, if Hong Kong can join RCEP, Hong Kong merchants will benefit from measures such as reducing tariffs and reducing trade barriers, thereby improving cost benefits and competitiveness.Therefore, the Hong Kong Government immediately launched the procedure after the RCEP took effect, so that the RCEP custodian, the Secretary -General of the Asian Secretary General, applied to join.

According to the rules of RCEP, any new economy needs to obtain the consent of all founding members.The Hong Kong Government has met with RCEP members in many international occasions for support in the past two years. Li Jiachao visited Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia last year.Confirm that Hong Kong applies for the application of RCEP as a separate customs zone.

The 15 members of

RCEP are the main trading partners of Hong Kong. It is reported that most of the Asian countries have joined Hong Kong to join RCEP to hold a positive attitude.During his visit to the three countries of the New Yinma, Li Jiachao also discussed related matters with the Secretary -General of Asianan Gao Jinhong.Gao Jinhong said in an interview that Hong Kong could join RCEP in the "near future".

The Japanese media had predicted that Hong Kong could be approved as a member of RCEP last year.However, since the application for Hong Kong in January 2022, the news has only heard the stairs.It now seems that Hong Kong has to work hard to enter the meeting.

Chinese national leaders have also opened up Hong Kong on different occasions in recent years, calling on RCEP members to support Hong Kong to join.For example, when the then Prime Minister of the State Council of China, Li Keqiang attended the Asian Simpan and China, Japan and South Korea 10+3 leaders meeting in Cambodia in 2022. When the current Prime Minister Li Qiang attended the same meeting last year in Indonesia, he hoped that all parties would support Hong Kong to join RCEP.

Li Qiang's visit to Australia and New Zealand in mid -month, once again said to Hong Kong, mentioning it hopes that the two governments of the two countries will support Hong Kong to join RCEP.

Danao's attitude of joining RCEP in Hong Kong is still unclear; for example, the joint statement between China and Australia said that the two parties attach great importance to the cooperation under the RCEP framework;Platform cooperation.Both statements have no specific mention of Hong Kong.

According to the analysis of the Sing Tao Daily in Hong Kong, among the 15 members, the Asians of many countries have stated that they have supported Hong Kong to join, but Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea still have no clear attitude.Geopolitics influence.When Chen Baili, deputy director of the Hong Kong Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, attended the Legislative Council meeting last week, he also acknowledged that there was blocked in the process of joining the RCEP in Hong Kong, and quoted "rumors in the room" that Hong Kong may be blocked by economic reasons.

The so -called reason outside the economy is self -evident that the Fukushima emit nuclear waste water incident.After Hong Kong discharged nuclear waste water in Japan last year, it restricted the import of food imports in some parts of Japan, impacting the related industries in Japan, and making Hong Kong -Japan relations quite nervous.

I wrote last year, pointed out that There is no way to deal with .At present, Hong Kong is seeking joining RCEP. According to the rules, all members must be unanimously agreed. As one of 15 RCEP members, Japan will not rule out that it will be bargained with Hong Kong.

Another resistance is related to the international situation.51 overseas Hong Kong groups issued a joint letter last November to urge Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and the Philippines to consider Hong Kong's harsh human rights conditions. Do not approve Hong Kong to join RCEP.In the letter, these organizations described the Hong Kong Government's behavior of "repeated impermanence and unpredictable", large -scale arrest and imprisonment legislators, union members, social movements, and reporters, completely changing the democratic election system, and destroying judicial independence.It is not a suitable applicant to participate in this trade agreement.

In recent years, the Chinese government has positioned Hong Kong as an international finance, trade and shipping center. If Hong Kong can join RCEP, it will help Hong Kong's economic and trade exchanges with RCEP countries and consolidate Hong Kong's international status.On the other side, the United States has continued to strengthen sanctions in Hong Kong and encourages the withdrawal of Western funds. It does not rule out stalks from it, obstructing Hong Kong to join and expand new Southeast Asian markets.

But as the Hong Kong government said, 70 % of the trade in Hong Kong is carried out with RCEP members. If Hong Kong can join RCEP, it is also good for each member.Normally, all members of RCEP will be based on the real economic consideration. The truth is to handle the application for the Hong Kong admission. The probability of Hong Kong's joining RCEP in the next two years is still quite high.