China, Iceland to start free trade agreement talks
9 July 2006
China, Iceland To Start Free Trade Agreement Talks-Xinhua
By Rick Carew, Dow Jones Newswires
BEIJING -(Dow Jones)- China and Iceland plan to begin formal negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement soon following successful talks earlier this month, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday citing Ministry of Commerce officials.
Xinhua said the two countries completed a feasibility report on a free trade agreement during two days of talks that began on July 3, which recommended "an early start of formal negotiations" on the pact.
Iceland has granted China market-economy status and is the first European country to consider a free trade agreement with China, Xinhua said.
China is currently negotiating free trade pacts with Australia, New Zealand, and several Persian Gulf countries.
