China, ASEAN discuss free-trade talks

China, ASEAN discuss free-trade talks

SINGAPORE: China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will discuss when to launch negotiations for a proposed free-trade agreement at a meeting of senior officials on May 14, a spokeswoman at China's Foreign Ministry said Friday, the Kyodo news service reported.

"In May, I believe starting from the 14th, there will be a working-level meeting on this issue, which will be held in Beijing at the senior-official level," Zhang Qiyue said at a news conference on the first day of a two-day visit by China's Vice President Hu Jintao, Kyodo reported.

"They will discuss when to exactly initiate or launch the negotiations on this issue and how to prepare for the formal launching of the negotiation process," she said.

ASEAN and China agreed at their summit in Brunei last year to forge an FTA in 10 years. -- Dow Jones