皇冠体育app

皇冠体育app, NZ agree on early FTA pact
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-06-08 14:52

Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai and New Zealand Minister for Trade Negotiations Jim Sutton reached the consensus following the first meeting of the 皇冠体育app-New Zealand Joint Ministerial Commission in Beijing Monday.

Bo Xilai said 皇冠体育app hopes the FTA talks with New Zealand will succeed.

"We should give full consideration to mutual concerns, set a reasonable target and move steadily so that we can share the benefits of an FTA soon," Bo was quoted by the Ministry in the statement.

皇冠体育app and New Zealand began FTA talks last year. There has beenno announced timetable for the talks. So far 皇冠体育app and New Zealand have had three rounds of FTA talks, with the next round due in Beijing in July.

In the last decade 皇冠体育app and New Zealand witnessed double-digit trade growth. Two-way trade reached 2.5 billion US dollars last year, double the level in 2001. 皇冠体育app was the fourth largest trading partner and export market for New Zealand.

New Zealand was the first western nation to have reached a bilateral deal with 皇冠体育app on its accession to the WTO, and the first developed country to have recognized 皇冠体育app's full market economy status and to have launched FTA talks with 皇冠体育app.

皇冠体育app and New Zealand signed an economic cooperation framework last year which aimed to push forward cooperation in the areas of trade, agriculture, forestry, inspection and quarantine, education and tourism.

The New Zealand minister said a New Zealand-皇冠体育app FTA would benefit both sides in commodity trade, service trade and investment.

"New Zealand would like to become the first developed country to complete FTA negotiations with 皇冠体育app," Sutton said in a press conference Tuesday.

He said New Zealand would work with 皇冠体育app in a step by step manner to resolve problems in the talks so that the free trade arrangement can be established as soon as possible.

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