The 7^th round China-Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Free Trade Agreement (China-GCC FTA) Negotiation and related activities were held between May 8 and 10 in Guangzhou. It was the 2^nd round negotiation from the resuming of China-GCC FTA Negotiation. The meeting and related activities were organized by Guangzhou Municipal Commission of Commerce with the assistance of Guangzhou Municipal Government. Wang Shouwen, vice minister of Ministry of Commerce of China, and Baz, chief coordinator of GCC for FTZ negotiations and vice minister of Ministry of Finance of Saudi Arabia, led delegations to attend the negotiation. Ren Xuefeng, secretary of CPC Guangzhou Committee, and Wen Guohui, may of Guangzhou, met members of the delegations of both sides for the negotiation.

 

During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Saudi Arabia on January 19, 2016, the Ministry of Commerce of China and the secretariat of GCC jointly announced that China and GCC resumed the FTA negotiation on January 17, substantively completed the goods trade negotiation in principle on January 19 and would strive to achieve a comprehensive package agreement within the year of 2016.

 

Source: Translated from Invest Guangzhou, May 10, 2016