Fast track to Asean-China free trade pact
China newspapers reported on May 21 that negotiations for the proposed Asean-China Free Trade Agreement could finish earlier than anticipated if China and Asean reach agreements on some key points.
The points include agriculture, information technology, human resource development, investing and developing the Mekong River Basin. Observers hold that negotiations has progressed smoothly even though some Asean countries still worry about China’s increasing economic clout.
Two-way trade between Asean and China was US$78.25 billion in 2003, an increase of some 43% against 2002.
Category: Legal
