Australian Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb said on Tuesday that Australia and China are on track to sign a free trade agreement by November, Reuters reported. The comment came after Robb met with Xu Shaoshi, chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, as part of the first annual Australia-China Strategic Economic Dialogue. But there has been little sign of progress despite Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s expressed intent to seal an agreement before November. Talks have been stymied by Beijing’s concerns over opening markets to Australian food, and Canberra fears an influx of cheap Chinese goods could threaten domestic producers.
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