China scored a victory on November 15, 2020, as 15 Asia-Pacific nations signed the world’s biggest free-trade pact, sealing an agreement that excludes the United States and extends Beijing’s economic sway in the region. The realisation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, comes after eight years of negotiations. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said the signing of the RCEP was “a victory of multilateralism and free trade”. Video source: CCTV