China Pushes ASEAN to Sign FTA Upgrade as U.S. Tariffs Bite

China is pressing ASEAN to sign the China-ASEAN FTA upgrade before year-end, as U.S. tariffs squeeze exports.
File image of cargo containers stacked at Yantian port in Shenzhen in China's southern Guangdong province. STR / AFP

China is pushing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, to sign its China ASEAN FTA upgrade before the end of the year, Vice Commerce Minister Yan Dong said on Monday, as Beijing seeks to diversify its exports amid U.S. tariffs.

Negotiations on the upgrade concluded in May, paving the way for improved market access in sectors such as agriculture, the digital economy, and pharmaceuticals between China and the 10-member ASEAN bloc.

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by Edwin Shri Bimo

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