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Leaders from 15 Asia-Pacific countries signed one of the largest trade agreements in history on Sunday, seeking to lower barriers in an area that covers a third of the world’s population and economic output.

The Regional Integral Economic Association, or RCEP, marks a major step forward for economic integration in the region and follows nearly a decade of negotiations.

Economists said the deal, the first trade deal to bring together China, Japan and South Korea, could add nearly $ 200 billion annually to the global economy by 2030.

RCEP takes most of the existing agreements signed by the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and combines them into a single compact multilateral. with Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. (FOOT)

Coronavirus digest

Should the elderly or the young get vaccinated first? Anjana Ahuja asks. No one has ever tried to vaccinate the entire planet at once before. The challenges are enormous. (FT, Reuters, economist)

Follow our coronavirus tracker and ours live blog for the latest news.

In the news

China congratulates Biden on winning election Beijing formally congratulated Joe Biden on his victory on Friday, nearly a week after many of Washington’s allies recognized the Democrat as the president-elect of the United States. Donald Trump has refused to budge, even after tweeting that Biden had won the race. We are tracking all the electoral demands of the president. (FOOT)

US Ban on Buying Shares Linked to China’s Army Donald Trump signed an executive order that prohibits American investors from owning shares in companies linked to China’s military. The decision sent stocks tumbling on Friday and threatened to create a number of compliance problems for global investors. (FOOT)

Swire exits the Hong Kong stock index Swire Pacific, one of Hong Kong’s longest-running colonial-era groups, exited the city’s benchmark stock index and was replaced by Meituan Dianping, a Chinese food delivery app, in a move that captures the change of corporate power in the city. (FOOT)

Ireland warns of Brexit crisis Boris Johnson was warned by Ireland’s foreign minister that the main outstanding issues in the Brexit trade negotiations must “be resolved in principle this week”, and officials in London also confirmed a crucial moment in the negotiations. (FOOT)

Western Sahara ends truce with Morocco The Polisario Front, the organization that seeks independence for the disputed territory of Western Sahara, said this weekend that it had launched attacks against Moroccan forces after ending a 30-year ceasefire. In East Africa, a crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has consequences for the Horn of Africa as a whole. (FT, Reuters)

Peru’s interim president resigns after protesters kill The country plunged into political chaos on Sunday when interim leader Manuel Merino resigned after just five days in office, following large nationwide demonstrations and a police crackdown that killed at least two people and injured more than 100. .

SpaceX and NASA prepare to launch astronauts SpaceX and Elon Musk’s NASA were due to send four astronauts to the International Space Station on Sunday, the first NASA mission to send a crew into orbit in a privately owned spacecraft. On the other hand, Musk said he tested positive for Covid-19. (Reuters, WSJ)

Next day

Japan growth figures New data will be released on Monday, when the economy is forecast to have recovered in the third quarter, but only about half of what it has lost to the coronavirus. (FOOT)

China Retail Sales Figures for October are expected to show further growth on Monday. Asia leads the world in its Covid-19 economic recovery. (FT, WSJ)

What else are we reading

Naomi Osaka and the value of the stars when speaking When the 23-year-old tennis star set out to “spread awareness” of violence against blacks on the largest stage possible, it marked a turning point, not only for tennis and for Osaka’s international fan base, but also for boardrooms and a multi-billion dollar sports marketing industry. (FOOT)

Lunch with the FT: Jimmy Lai After being arrested this summer on suspicion of “collaborating with foreign forces” under national security law, the refugee boy-turned-business tycoon talks about Hong Kong’s uncertain future, backing Trump and never giving up. (FT)

What Covid’s response tells us about climate change Efforts to address both problems are hampered by externalities and behavioral biases, writes Gavyn Davies. Meanwhile, a Swiss banker named Reto Ringger has brought us one step closer to being able to compare green investments online as easily as hotels and flights, writes Pilita Clark. (FOOT)

Spac sponsor bonanza Special purpose acquisition companies have become the hottest commodity on Wall Street this year. An analysis by the Financial Times shows how lucrative the structure can be for backers, but less so for ordinary shareholders. (FOOT)

The destruction of Asia’s last rainforests Six years ago, South Korean palm oil giant Korindo convinced Indonesian tribes to sell their land for just 100,000 rupees ($ 8) per hectare. An investigation suggests that the company deliberately set the ground on fire, an accusation the company denies. Meanwhile, the super rich are getting stronger against climate change and health risks. (BBC, FT)

‘Modi’s Rockefeller’ India’s corporate titan, Gautam Adani, has built his success on infrastructure. But critics say his rise is symbolic of a system in which too much power is in the hands of too few. In other parts of India, “Rail Diwali” photographs capture celebrations in Kolkata’s slums along the tracks. (FOOT)

Olivia Colman: ‘I’m a bit in love with the Queen now’ Since taking on the role of Queen Elizabeth II from Claire Foy on Netflix The crown, Ms. Colman won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the queen. You are now preparing to pass the paper. Off the screen, a group of feminist aristocrats fight for the right of daughters to inherit noble titles. (FT, Atlantic)

The gift guide of how to spend it The magazine’s editors and contributors have compiled their seasonal wish lists. They include traditional gifts with a twist, dandy wish items, home comforts, culinary finds, a fashion list, and a sports kit for adrenaline junkies. (FOOT)

Video of the day

FT Film: Will Coronavirus Kill Main Street? In early 2020, FT’s retail correspondent Jonathan Eley traveled to Doncaster in the north of England to see what the city could tell us about the future of UK main streets. He revisited businesses and stores this fall to see what his chances of survival are.