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  1. Negotiations

China


China actively seeks bilateral trade and investment deals outside of the World Trade Organisation. The government has put priority on forging agreements with neighbouring countries of Asia, but also many other countries on whom it relies for minerals, energy, food, infrastructure or geopolitical support.

Beijing has signed bilateral trade agreements with ASEAN (2002), Hong Kong (2002), Macau (2003), Thailand (2003), Niger (2005), Chile (2006), Pakistan (2006), New Zealand (2008), Peru (2008), Singapore (2008), Costa Rica (2010), Taiwan (2010), Switzerland (2013), Iceland (2014), Australia (2015), Korea (2015), Georgia (2017), Maldives (2017) and the Eurasian Economic Union (2018). China is also a party to 127 bilateral investment treaties.

China is currently in bilateral negotiations with the European Union (investment), the Gulf Cooperation Council, Israel, Mauritius, Moldova, New Zealand (to upgrade the current agreement), Norway, Pakistan (upgrade), Singapore (upgrade), the Southern African Customs Union and Sri Lanka, as well as with Japan and Korea for a possible a three-way deal. Further down the horizon, there is talk of eventual negotiations with Canada, Chile (upgrade), Colombia, Fiji, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Palestine, Panama, Peru (upgrade), Switzerland (upgrade) and Uruguay.

Regionally, China has proposed a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, an initiative that would encompass the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation nations, in direct rivalry with US-led projects like the Trans-Pacific Partnership. But that intitiative is currently on hold.

China is currently part of the talks on a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). RCEP is a mega-regional trade agreement proposed by the Association of South East Asian Nations with its FTA partners : China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

If concluded, it would give Chinese corporations market access to India -- in goods, services and investment -- that it does not have through its own FTAs.

China also sees RCEP as a key element of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an infrastructure project meant to link Asia with Europe, passing through Africa, and with an extension to Latin America.

China is also using the BRI to push more countries to sign free trade agreements to consolidate the trade and investment leverage that the project opens up.

last update: June 2018
photo: Eddie / CC BY-ND 2.0

China signal push to upgrade Switzerland FTA, expanding trade to services, digital sectors
21-Apr-2026     Investinglive
China pushes to upgrade Switzerland trade deal, expanding ties into services and digital economy.
How China reinvented the BRI
3-Apr-2026     Foreign Policy
If the BRI’s pivot toward overseas manufacturing and cleantech represents the “hardware” of China’s economic statecraft, then its proliferating network of free trade agreements and related pacts provides the essential “software.”
China extends $14.5m grant to Seychelles as free trade deal nears
31-Mar-2026     APA
The grant comes as Seychelles prepares to benefit from China’s zero‑tariff policy for African countries, with negotiations on the “early harvest arrangement” for a bilateral free trade agreement now completed between the two countries.
China says Mexico’s tariff hikes constitute ‘trade barriers’ after probe
26-Mar-2026     South China Morning Post
The tariff increases – made in part to appease demands from Washington – have been designated a breach of trade rules by Beijing.
Kenya says it has finalised trade deal negotiations with China
26-Mar-2026     Reuters
Kenya has finalised negotiations ​over a trade deal with China, two months after ‌announcing a preliminary agreement that would grant the East African country duty-free access to the Chinese market.
Here's what you need to know about the Canada-China deal on EVs and canola
21-Jan-2026     CBC News
After a decade of strained relations, the Canada and China agreement marks a shift toward realistic, interest-based cooperation. The two countries have essentially agreed to lift or lower tariffs on certain products.
China urges Gulf nations to seal free trade agreement
15-Dec-2025     The Business Standard
China's foreign minister has pressed the Gulf Cooperation Council to conclude long-running talks on a free trade agreement with China, attributing the urgency to rising protectionism and unilateralism as free trade comes "under attack".
China, 5 Pacific Island countries sign framework agreement to upgrade economic partnership: MOFCOM
8-Dec-2025     Global Times
China and the relevant Pacific Island countries agreed to carry out flexible and pragmatic negotiations on specific issues such as trade in goods and services, investment, rules, and practical cooperation.
New China-Russia bilateral investment agreement takes effect: MOFCOM
2-Dec-2025     Global Times
The new Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments formally came into effect.
Russia, China, update bilateral investment treaty as Belt & Road Initiative projects look set to increase
29-Oct-2025     Russia's Pivot to Asia
The reference to infrastructure construction suggests that Chinese participation as part of its Belt & Road Initiative projects and investments into Russia will increase.