China may seek mega free trade pact without India if RCEP stalls

China may seek to drop India from a mega free trade agreement with mainly Asian nations if ongoing negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership including the two most populous countries remain at a standstill, observers say.China has recently been keen to bolster economic cooperation with its neighbors such as Japan and South Korea, with its exports -- a key driver of economic growth -- shrinking against the backdrop of a tit-for-tat trade dispute with the United States.But the outlook for the 16-member RCEP negotiations is very uncertain, as India, which has a population…READ FULL ARTICLE