China-Peru begin 4th Round of Negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement

China - Peru, 4th Round of Negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between China and Peru began yesterday, June 28th in Lima, Peru according to Andina, a leading Peruvian news agency.

Topics on the agenda in this round include:

- Access to the Market,
- Rules of Origin,
- Trade Defense,
- Services,
- Investments,
- Sanitary and Fitosanitary Measures;
- Technical Obstacle to Trade,
- Solutions of Controversies,
- Customs Procedures
- Institutional Affairs.

Updates and developments to come. It seems both China and Peru are eager to sign this agreement. It would make it China's second in South America, Chile having already sealed a FTA with China back in 2005. (Click here to read the article published by the China-Daily, back in 2005)

Peru and Chile are attractive countries for China because of a variety of reasons. First, Peru and Chile are the world's leading copper producers. In 2004, the two nations, together mined nearly 6.4 million tonnes of copper; equal to 44% of global copper production. Together, the two countries accounted for 50% of China's total copper imports from abroad (International Copper - World Copper Study Group; 2007). Chinese copper demand is unlikely to shrink any time soon, granted the fact copper is used in the production of semi-conductors, automobiles, infrastructure, IT hardware, and in the construction industry (Trinh; 2006).

Second, macroeconomic and political stability and impressive growth makes Peru and Chile ideal entrance gates for Chinese investments, exports and imports to and from Latin America. Chinese ambassador to Peru, Gao Zhengyue, stated this year at a conference on pacific cooperation hosted in Lima; “one of the advantages that Peru (and Chile) offers to China as economic partners is its strategic economic convergence of complimentary economic structures. Derived from its geographical position in the continent, as a bridge between Asia and South America and the Atlantic Ocean through the bio-oceanic corridor. Peru is also important due to its projection towards a sub regional extended market through the Andean Community (CAN) and Mercosur. (China-Peru Free Trade Agreement Joint Feasibility Study; 2005-06).”

It would be nice is China and Peru could get this deal sealed and further increase trade with one another. It will be to the benefit of both countries. Reported on Chinese Governments homepage of the Ministry of Commerce, Vice Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun stated:

"Peru is now China’s important trade and investment partner in Latin America. The China-Peru bilateral trade surged by 49.59% year on year to US$6.014 billion, out of which China’s export hit US$1.678 billion, up by 66.43%, and China’s import hit US$4.336 billion, up by 49.03%. The cooperation on mutual investment, contract projects and labor cooperation, etc., between the two countries also enjoys relatively quick development."

Many would agree other countries are equally or of greater significance to China... Such as the closest competitor to Peruvian copper--Chile. Perhaps Brazil, which China has become increasingly dependent upon for foodstuffs and is has also heavily invested in infrastructure, iron ore and energy projects throughout Brazil.

No less, Chinese rhetoric however exaggerated, does offer some evidence to suggest the agreement will pass and be speedily implemented. China can be very respectful, gracious and giving when they want something to move ahead. Whether Peru is truly emerging as China's most "important" partner in Latin America is questionable, but China's and the Peruvian governments efforts to move this foward, show both parties feelthe FTA would be beneficial.