Asian FTA can build confidence

Hanoi - Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday called for the early establishment of an Asian free trade area (FTA).

Wen said that the main vehicle of cooperation in East Asia should be the ASEAN nations plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, otherwise known as "10+3".

The premier also announced that China would contribute another $1 million to the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Fund. "We hope the money will be used to facilitate the building of the East Asia FTA," he said at the 13th ASEAN Plus Three Summit.