Squabbles with India over access to its giant consumer market - as well as Australia and New Zealand over the lack of 'high quality' labour and environmental standards - have undercut talks in recent months.
Seven of the 18 chapters within the deal have been "concluded", according to the Philippines' Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.
"We have reached a point to really demand from different negotiating parties to be more realistic, pragmatic," he said, adding the US-China spat should prompt ASEAN to "fast-track" the RCEP deal.
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(1) Wonder if 7 chapters of the RCEP deal have been concluded - can RCEP Phase 1 be launched first?
(2) Can the remainder 11 chapters be put as Phase 2 of RCEP to be launched at a later date?
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