Shanghai FTZ eyes alignment with global rules

China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, which is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary on Sept 29, should make greater attempts to help China better align with high-level international economic and trade rules such as the CPTPP and DEPA, said officials and industry experts, as these are conducive to the country's reform and opening-up as well as high-quality economic growth.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a free-trade agreement between 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, while the Digital Economic Partnership Agreement (DEPA) is a digitally focused trade deal initiated by Singapore, New Zealand and Chile.

More steps will be taken to further facilitate free trade, expand access to foreign investors and facilitate cross-border data flow at the Shanghai FTZ, which will be part of efforts to connect to rules such as those of CPTPP and DEPA, said Ruan Qing, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission during a news conference on Friday.