China in key deal with Asean on services

China on Sunday signed an agreement with the Association of South-east Asian Nations that promises to open up key service sectors as the two partners move towards creating what could be the world’s biggest free-trade zone.

The deal is seen as a vital step towards the establishment by 2015 of a China-Asean free trade area. Such a zone would bring together China’s 1.2bn people and south-east Asia’s 500m citizens into a single market. It also highlights the growing ties between China and south-east Asia as well as Beijing’s increasing influence as a regional power.
Financial Times