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