On February 21, 2021, the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (hereinafter referred to as the Agreement) initiated by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (hereinafter referred to as the ESCAP) came into effect.

The negotiations on the Agreement started in April 2015 and was completed in May 2016, and then opened for signature and accession by all ESCAP members. China signed the Agreement in 2017 and completed the domestic approval process in 2020. Upon China's completion of its approval process, the Agreement has reached the conditions for its entry into force. This Agreement has entered into force for the five founding parties that have completed the domestic approval process, namely China, Azerbaijan, Philippines, Iran and Bangladesh. Armenia and Cambodia have signed the Agreement and are in the process of domestic approval. At the same time, many countries are actively seeking to join the Agreement.

The Agreement is the first multilateral agreement on cross-border paperless trade under the framework of the United Nations. The Agreement covers the national trade facilitation policy framework and a favorable domestic legal environment, cross-border paperless trade facilitation and the development of a single window system, cross-border mutual recognition of electronic trade data and documents, international standards for electronic trade data and documents exchange, and related action plans, capacity building, pilot projects and exchange of experience. The Agreement will promote the exchange and mutual recognition of trade data and documents in electronic form in the region, promote the compatibility between national and sub-regional single windows and other paperless trade systems, and create a sound legal regulatory environment for cross-border paperless trade, thus improving the efficiency and transparency of international trade. The Agreement will further enrich the cooperation in trade facilitation al

ong the belt and road, enhance trade connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region, and contribute to faster post-COVID-19 economic recovery and development.

In the next step, China will work with other members to do a good job during the implementation of the Agreement.