China and 14 Asia-Pacific countries agree historic free trade deal

Signing of RCEP unites nations totalling 2.2 billion people and covers 28% of global trade

The leaders of China and another 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific region have signed one of the biggest free trade deals in history, covering 2.2 billion people and 30% of the world’s economic output.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was signed over a video link on Sunday after eight years of negotiations.

Related: UK trade department faces race to get £80bn of trade agreements ratified

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