Economic Watch: RCEP deepens China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation

NANNING, June 24 (Xinhua) — On May 27, a cargo ship loaded with Malaysian manganese ore arrived at Beibu Gulf Port in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The ore was sent to the smelting workshop of South Manganese Group Ltd., which has the longest manganese industry chain in the world. There, it was made into electrolytic manganese dioxide before being sold domestically and exported to Japan as a raw material within new-energy batteries. This particular case of cross-border trade, industry and sale illustrates the power of the recently instituted Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement in bringing economic benefit to China and its regional partners.