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Australia may grant market-economy status to China and willbegintalks on a free-trade agreement as early as next year,saysAustralian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.Downer saidprogresson a very ambitious proposal for a China-Australia freetradeagreement was faster and smoother than expected.Completion ofafeasibility study scheduled for October 2005 is now expected bythemiddle of next year, Downer said.He said he was prettyoptimisticthat the study would conclude that an
FTA wasmutuallybeneficial.He said a bilateral FTA would bring furtherstimulus toeconomic and trade links between the two countries.Itwould alsobe a clear sign of the seriousness of our mutual regard,Downersaid in his speech delivered at Tsinghua Universityyesterday.Itwould be an opportunity to further strengthen thestrategicframework of the relationship for the long term, buildingstrongergovernment-to-government links and giving the broaderrelationshipsupport and room to grow.He said free trade agreementsprovide anopportunity for trading partners to spur economic growthand tradeliberalization.I can say now there is a high level ofinterest inthis (FTA negotiations) in Australian business, withmanyrecognizing that what we face is not a question of whether ornotto further integrate with China but rather, it is a decision onhowbest to integrate with China, said Downer.China last yearovertookthe US to become Australias second largest exportmarket.Australiahad a US$1 billion trade surplus on US$13.56billion of trade withChina in 2003 because of increasing demand forAustralian copper,petroleum and iron ore.A free trade agreementbetween Australia andChina would be the first China had done with adeveloped economy,Downer said.Since October 2003, officials fromAustralia and Chinahave been examining the difficulties andbenefits of a free tradedeal.The talks were based on a framework,which was signed byAustralias Trade Minister Mark Vaile andChinas Vice-Minister ofCommerce Yu Guangzhou in the presence ofAustralias Prime MinisterJohn Howard and Chinese President HuJintao on October 24, 2003.Theframework includes a commitment toundertake a joint feasibilitystudy by October 2005otnia possibleFTA between Australia andChina.Downer said a key remaining stickingpoint was therecognition of China as a market economy.Downer, whohas met seniorChinese leaders including Premier Wen Jiabao, ForeignMinister LiZhaoxing and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai in Beijing,leaves forPyongyang later today. He said both sides agreed thatAustralianeeded to recognize China as a market economy before anFTA couldgo ahead.Although the European Union recently rejectedChinasrequest for market economy status, Downer said Australiawould makeits own evaluation. Australia has started a feasibilitystudy onChinas market status scheduled to be completed by March orApril,he said.Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Downeryesterdayagreed that the two countries should enhance politicalmutualtrust, strengthen their economic and trade ties andincreasecommunication and co-ordination in dealing withinternational andregional affairs.(China Daily)
（信息来源：MOFTEC英文版子站）
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