On October 27, 2025 local time, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council attended the fifth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Leaders' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Li Qiang said that as President Xi Jinping has pointed out that only openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation is the right way forward for humanity. Since the RCEP agreement came into effect more than three years ago, economic and trade cooperation among its members has continued to deepen against the backdrop of generally weak global economic momentum, and the regional economy has maintained relatively rapid growth. Throughout this process, the agreement has played an irreplaceable and important role by expanding the space for joint development among members, providing a mechanism for safeguarding economic security, and building a platform for advancing innovative cooperation.

Li Qiang noted that the current international economic and trade landscape is undergoing complex changes, with unilateralism and protectionism rampant, posing significant risks to the region. All parties to the agreement should collaborate more closely to jointly address challenges and work collectively to advance development. First, foster a more open regional market with a broader vision. He called for strengthening market connectivity, promoting regional economic integration, and accelerating the membership expansion process, and supporting applicants such as China's Hong Kong in joining the RCEP. Second, take more proactive actions to promote the improvement and upgrade of the agreement. All parties should fully implement their commitments under the agreement with high quality, actively align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and explore greater breakthroughs in cooperation in areas such as market access, government procurement, digital and green sectors, as well as industrial and supply chains. Third, safeguard the multilateral trading system with greater resolve. China will continue to support ASEAN centrality and is ready to work with all parties to uphold true multilateralism and jointly safeguard the stability of the regional multilateral trading system. China is ready to pool wisdom and strength with all sides to achieve more practical outcomes in RCEP cooperation and jointly create a bright future of shared prosperity.

Leaders attending the meeting expressed that at present, the global economy is facing significantly increasing instability and uncertainty, while the multilateral trading system has been impacted. Since its entry into force, the RCEP, the world's largest free trade arrangement, has effectively promoted the liberalization and facilitation of regional trade and investment, and played a positive role in improving the resilience of regional economic growth, maintaining the stability of industrial and supply chains, and enhancing people-to-people and cultural exchanges. All parties should strengthen mechanism building, actively promote the expansion of membership, continuously unleash potential, and achieve more substantive results in trade, investment, innovation, digital economy and other fields. All parties should also safeguard the free, fair and open multilateral trading system, and better benefit the transformation and development of various countries, as well as the forward-looking and inclusive growth of the region.

A Joint Leaders' Statement on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership was issued at the meeting.