BEIJING — China has filed a formal application to join the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced on Nov 1.

Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao sent a letter to Damien O'Connor, minister for trade and export growth of New Zealand, which is the depositary of the agreement, the MOC said in a statement.

The application to join DEPA is in line with China's direction of further deepening domestic reform and expanding high-level opening-up, and will help the country strengthen digital economy cooperation with other members and promote innovation and sustainable development under the new development paradigm, the ministry said.