Australia says China free trade talks to re-start
China and Australia will re-start stalled free trade talks within the next few days, Australia's treasurer said during a visit on Wednesday.
By Agencies |
BEIJING: China and Australia will re-start stalled free trade talks within the next few days, Australia's treasurer said during a visit on Wednesday.
An 11th round of talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) will take place in Beijing in "a few days," Wayne Swan told Communist Party officials, according to the text of his speech at the Central Party School.
"China and Australia have agreed to give new urgency and attention to the FTA discussions."
The talks will take place around June 20, an Australian embassy official told a newswires on condition of anonymity.
Officials contacted by AFP at the embassy could not immediately confirm that date.
Swan said financial, professional and education services as well as investment in the mining sector would be priorities for Australia in the negotiations.
The two countries agreed to restart the stalled free trade negotiations in April after meetings between Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Premier Wen Jiabao.
Australia began negotiating an FTA with China in May 2005 and officials said late last year that differences had narrowed on some issues, but overall progress has been slow.
After the last round of talks, held weeks before Rudd was elected in November, Australian trade officials said negotiations in some areas, including market access on goods such as farm products, were on hold.
China last year became Australia's largest trading partner with trade amounting to $43.8 billion in 2007, according to figures from China's General Administration of Customs.
An 11th round of talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) will take place in Beijing in "a few days," Wayne Swan told Communist Party officials, according to the text of his speech at the Central Party School.
"China and Australia have agreed to give new urgency and attention to the FTA discussions."
The talks will take place around June 20, an Australian embassy official told a newswires on condition of anonymity.
Officials contacted by AFP at the embassy could not immediately confirm that date.
Swan said financial, professional and education services as well as investment in the mining sector would be priorities for Australia in the negotiations.
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The two countries agreed to restart the stalled free trade negotiations in April after meetings between Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Premier Wen Jiabao.
Australia began negotiating an FTA with China in May 2005 and officials said late last year that differences had narrowed on some issues, but overall progress has been slow.
After the last round of talks, held weeks before Rudd was elected in November, Australian trade officials said negotiations in some areas, including market access on goods such as farm products, were on hold.
China last year became Australia's largest trading partner with trade amounting to $43.8 billion in 2007, according to figures from China's General Administration of Customs.
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