The China-ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) commodity fair is to be held in 2005 and will be an annual event, which has been approved by China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation in principle.
The fair would be held in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, which borders ASEAN member countries, the provincial foreign trade department said Wednesday.
The date of the fair will be fixed at June 6-10 each year.
Trade between China and ASEAN reached 47.7 billion US dollars in 2002 and the future China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone is expected to boost opportunities for economic development.
The free trade zone will enjoy a client base of 1.7 billion people, a combined GDP of approximately US$2 trillion and a combined trade volume of 1.2 trillion, making it the world's largest free trade zone.
(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2003)
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