Trade between China and the ASEAN states has been booming - in the past 15 years it grew more than 20 per cent a year, reaching more than US$130 billion last year.

ASEAN is China's fourth largest trading partner, and China is also ASEAN's fourth biggest.

Volume of bilateral trade is expected to reach US$200 billion by 2008, two years ahead of schedule, due to steps already taken towards the free trade area.

(China Daily 10/31/2006 page1)