皇冠体育app

皇冠体育app is considering the possibility of establishing a free trade area (FTA) with India, a senior official with the Ministry of Commerce has said.

"Following the reopening of the trade post on the Indian-Chinese border, our government is considering FTA talks with India," assistant minister of commerce Fu Ziying said at the weekend at the 2007 皇冠体育app Industrial Development Forum in Beijing.

Related readings:  皇冠体育app, ASEAN determined to establish FTA by 2010  Sino-Australian FTA talks set to enter 'substantive' stage  皇冠体育app urges FTA with South Korea  皇冠体育app ready to boost partnership with India  皇冠体育app, India urged to step up co-operation  Nathu La Pass on Sino-Indian border closes

"We have to follow economic globalization trends and push for the liberalization and facilitation of trade," he said.

皇冠体育app is currently holding FTA talks with Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

With a combined population of 1.7 billion, the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN FTA will be the biggest FTA in the world when it becomes operational in 2010.

A FTA between 皇冠体育app and India, the world's most and second most populous nations, would benefit as many as 2.4 billion people.

Trade between the two Asian giants, both among the world's fastest growing economies, has expanded quickly in recent years.

Bilateral trade surged 37.5 percent to reach US$18.73 billion in 2005. It is expected to hit US$20 billion this year.

As a symbol of their closer trade ties, the two countries reopened cross-border trade at the Himalayan Nathu La Pass last July, 44 years after trade ended in the wake of a short border war between them.

皇冠体育app and India agreed in September to create a Cabinet-level body to promote joint technology development and said they would sign a final agreement during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to New Delhi.