The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government welcomes the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to approve the establishment of an Accession Working Group (AWG) today (September 21) to commence the accession process for respective applicant economies including Hong Kong. 
      
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, "The decision concerned is a pivotal step forward in enlarging the membership of RCEP. Hong Kong will actively cooperate and take part in the work of the AWG, including the relevant accession negotiations with RCEP members, with a view to completing all the required procedures as soon as possible".
      
     He reiterated Hong Kong's full readiness for early accession to RCEP, leveraging Hong Kong's strengths to contribute significantly to both RCEP and the promotion of regional economic integration. At the same time, Hong Kong's accession will help consolidate and enhance its status as an international trade centre, generating synergies and creating a win-win outcome.
      
     Mr Yau thanked in particular the Central People's Government, including the Ministry of Commerce, for their strong and enduring support of Hong Kong's early accession. He also expressed appreciation to RCEP members, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in support of the establishment of the AWG. During his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Suzhou in May 2026 and his visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August 2026, Mr Yau met many of the Ministers respectively to solicit support for Hong Kong.
      
     The HKSAR Government will continue to work closely with the RCEP Support Unit and maintain close liaison with all stakeholders of RCEP members to foster favourable conditions for early accession of Hong Kong to RCEP.
      
     The other applicant economies being admitted to the AWG are Bangladesh, Chile and Sri Lanka.
      
     RCEP is the world's largest free trade agreement. Its fifteen member economies include the Chinese Mainland, the ten member states of the ASEAN (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam), Australia, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand. RCEP entered into force on January 1, 2022. The HKSAR Government submitted Hong Kong's accession request within the same month, being the first among the applicant economies.

Ends/Monday, September 21, 2026
Issued at HKT 21:32

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