The 2025 Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Local Government and Friendship Cities Cooperation (Huangshan) Forum is set to take place in the cities of Hefei and Huangshan in Anhui province from June 4 to 6.
The RCEP is the world's largest free trade agreement, encompassing the highest population, largest trade scale, and greatest growth potential. The forum, with the tagline "Regional Partnership for Common Development", aims to strengthen economic, cultural, and industrial integration among RCEP member countries. It will inject new momentum into high-quality regional economic development and upgrade free trade in the Asia-Pacific region.
The forum will feature multiple events, including an opening ceremony, keynote speeches, and dialogues on youth business, cross-border e-commerce, and overseas Chinese business. A dialogue on electric vehicles and photovoltaic industries will also be held in Hefei on June 4.
Thailand will be the guest of honor, with officials from RCEP member states, the ASEAN Secretariat and more international organizations in attendance. Since its successful debut in 2023, the forum has become a vital platform for deepening regional cooperation.
The forum has had a positive impact on promoting government, economic and trade, and cultural exchanges between Anhui province and RCEP member countries, with the province's exports to the region in 2024 reaching 208.54 billion yuan ($28 billion), a rise of 17.3 percent over 2021. More than 50 percent of foreign tourists in Anhui province come from RCEP member countries, and over half of outbound tourists in the province visit RCEP member countries.