The Ministry of Commerce announced yesterday in Beijing that China and Pakistan have agreed on market access and "basically wrapped up" negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA).

The agreement is expected to be signed during President Hu's state visit to Islamabad on November 24.

China and Pakistan have conducted five rounds of negotiations since last April, with the latest round concluding in Beijing on Friday.

Before visiting Pakistan, Hu will leave Beijing for Viet Nam tomorrow for a state visit. In Hanoi he will also attend the leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) from November 18-19.

Hu will then tour Laos to boost traditional friendship, before heading to India to seek bilateral collaboration.

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and China reached US$4.26 billion last year, up 39 per cent over 2004.

The free trade agreement with Pakistan is expected to cover investment and commodities trade, but details are not known.

China-Pakistan FTA talks started last April in Islamabad after Premier Wen Jiabao and Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz signed an "early harvest" FTA, under which China would impose agreed tariff rates on 2,244 categories of Pakistani products.

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