Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP represented Australia at the Fifth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement Ministers’ Meeting held in Manila, Philippines on 21 September 2026 in the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting.
RCEP Ministers welcomed the commencement of work for the 2027 General Review and agreed to establish an Ad Hoc Accession Working Group to advance the accession process.
Ministers issued a Joint Media Statement [PDF] highlighting the importance of enhanced RCEP implementation and reaffirming the rules-based trading system.