On the morning of May 8, 2026, the RCEP Think Tank Network (RCEPTTN) Working Meeting was held at the China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD).

In his opening remarks, Professor Chi Fulin, President of the China Institute for Reform and Development and President of the Hainan Institute for Free Trade Port Studies, noted that profound changes in the geo-economic landscape have brought both important opportunities and major challenges for RCEP, making exchanges among think tanks in the RCEP region more important than ever. He emphasized that the RCEP Think Tank Network should play an important role in promoting the upgrading of RCEP and supporting RCEP-related decision-making; strengthen collaboration with relevant international cooperation and exchange mechanisms; enhance information sharing among Network members; contribute to RCEP capacity building; and play a greater role in developing the Hainan Free Trade Port into a strategic hub for RCEP regional economic and trade cooperation.

Yang Rui, Executive President of CIRD, delivered the 2025 work report and outlined key considerations for the next stage of work on behalf of the Network Secretariat.

The discussion session was co-chaired by Wu Hailong, former President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, and Yose Rizal Damuri, Executive Director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Indonesia. Participating think tank experts exchanged views on major issues concerning RCEP implementation, as well as matters related to the development of the Network itself.

Members and observer representatives of the Network from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, New Zealand, and other countries attended the meeting.

Kuang Xianming, Vice President of CIRD; Wang Yuehong and Wu Ernv, Assistant Researcher of CIRD; Guo Da, Executive President of the Hainan Free Trade Port Institute; and Lin Fen, Project Assistant at the Center for International Cooperation, also attended the working meeting.

The RCEP Think Tank Network was jointly initiated by CIRD and relevant think tanks in the region in September 2022. It now covers 21 think tanks from all 15 RCEP member countries. Over the past few years, the Network has continued to carry out research, seminars, international academic exchanges, capacity building, and people-to-people exchanges on major issues such as RCEP implementation and upgrading, regional development, and regional exchanges, achieving positive results and generating broad influence.