If completed, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will create the world's largest free trade area, covering almost half of the world’s population and contributing about 30 per cent of global GDP. The Ministers from the 16 RCEP participating countries reaffirmed their resolve to meet the Leaders’ instruction to intensify efforts in 2018 towards the conclusion. The 11 remaining countries in the Tans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have forged ahead with a new deal without the United States. What does this mean to the RCEP? Should the RCEP still move on? What should be done to push forward the RCEP? What are the differences between the RCEP and the TPP?