China, Asean committed to free trade

Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and China planned to signal their commitment to China-ASEAN free trade during a two-day summit that kicks off today in Nanning, the South China Morning Post reported. Leaders from 10 ASEAN members are meeting today with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to mark a decade and a half of dialogue. In a draft joint statement, the group says it is "determined to establish the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area by 2010 as scheduled." The free trade area would include Brunei, Indonesian, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand by 2010 and add Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam five years later.