But this deal also includes a number of countries with which ASEAN has free-trade agreements with: Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and, of course, New Zealand. The 15 countries that RCEP covers are home to almost a third of the world's population, including seven of our top trading partners, taking over half New Zealand's total exports and providing more than half our direct foreign investment. In the year ending December 2019, New Zealand exported more than $36 billion worth of goods to RCEP countries and nearly $12 billion of services. 