Summit season in Asia has begun and a host of regional and international leaders have begun descending on Singapore where they will attend the 33rd Asean Summit and related meetings from Tuesday to Thursday. A key agenda is the discussion of the 16-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) between nations that comprise half the world’s population. Karen Pitakdumrongkit, deputy head and Asst Prof at RSIS’ Centre for Multilateralism Studies, thinks the RCEP will not be concluded before next year.