Across China: Beijing

Expo catalyst

The China-ASEAN Expo has been a catalyst for the creation of a China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) free trade area, an official with the event's organizing committee said yesterday.

Gao Hucheng, vice-co-chair of the committee and also China's vice-minister of commerce, said at a press conference that the expo's four successful rounds had effectively transformed the construction of an FTA from paperwork consensus by state leaders to pragmatic moves.