ISDS Case Map
China
Crean has expressed frustration at the slow pace of the FTA negotiations, saying in March talks were "bogged down" just at a time when Australia wanted to develop a framework for a new economic partnership with China, which would include a framework for investment in an FTA.
Associations of farmers and local government units in this vegetable-producing province and local governments were alerted on reports that the national government has entered into bilateral agreements and treaties on the trading of agricultural products.
Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso called for talks on free trade with China, the first time a Japanese leader has raised the prospect of an agreement with its biggest trading partner.
A new investment fund and loan package to help alleviate the impact of the global financial crisis for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) represents the latest overture of China's "soft power" campaign towards the region.
China and Peru on Tuesday signed a free trade agreement (FTA) that the Chinese government hailed as an "important signal" of closer international cooperation amid the global financial crisis.
Thailand's parliament has endorsed a framework for broadening the scope of cooperation and trade with China. But Democrat MP Kraisak Choonhavan said the new framework would only further affect farmers in the North who are already suffering under the FTA deal.
The Australian dairy industry has backed the stance by Trade Minister Simon Crean in refusing to accept China's exclusion of agricultural products from a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
During the second round of free trade negotiations last week, China's negotiating team discussed allowing 94 percent of Costa Rican goods to access the Chinese market, but left out key products such as coffee, sugar, beef, pork and chicken.
A China-EU FTA is not in the cards, but new European Union initiatives aim to boost EU food exports to China by 15% over the next several years.
Taiwan will discuss a partial free trade agreement with China and sign pacts to enhance economic cooperation during high-level talks in late April, negotiators said Saturday.
