9th Korea-China FTA Service and Investment Follow-up Negotiations

Video Conference for Five Days from 26th to 30th
Subcommittee Meetings from 26th to 29th, Chief Representatives Meeting on 30th

Lee Kyung-sik, Chief Negotiator (Senior Representative) of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, is seen on July 23 at 2 p.m. in the video conference room of the Government Seoul Office Building during the "8th Korea-China FTA Services and Investment Follow-up Negotiations Senior Representatives Video Conference." (Image source=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 26th that the 9th follow-up negotiations on the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) for services and investment will be held via video conference over five days from the 26th to the 30th.

From the 26th to the 29th, sectoral meetings on services, investment, and finance will be held, followed by a chief representatives' meeting on the 30th.

About 20 representatives from government ministries of both sides will attend. On the Korean side, Lee Kyung-sik, FTA negotiator at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, will serve as the chief representative, while on the Chinese side, Yang Zhengwei (楊正偉), Deputy Director of the International Department of the Ministry of Commerce of China, will take the role of chief representative.

In this 9th round of negotiations, discussions will deepen on the agreement texts and key issues regarding market opening in the fields of services, investment, and finance to accelerate progress in the negotiations.

An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy stated, "Due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), this time the meeting will be held via video conference with participation from the Ministry and related departments," adding, "We plan to make efforts to specifically discuss the expansion of service market opening and strengthening of investment protection through the negotiations and to advance the talks."