Report on the 10–Year Development of the ASEAN–China Free Trade Area Since
Its Full Establishment
1. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the full establishment of the ASEAN–
China Free Trade Area (ACFTA), this Report summarises the milestones and
achievements of ACFTA , as well as the commitments of the Ministers to improve the
utilisation of the ACFTA, especially in the combat against the COVID-19 situation.
I. Implementation of ACFTA
ASEAN-China Free Trade Area
2. The ACFTA was initiated with the signing of the Framework Agreement on
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation in 2002, followed by the ASEAN-China Trade in
Goods Agreement in 2004, ASEAN-China Agreement on Trade in Services in 2007, and
ASEAN-China Investment Agreement in 2009. The Framework Agreement entered into
force on 1 July 2003 and was subsequently amended in 2003, 2006, 2012, and 2015.
3. The ASEAN-China Framework Agreement featured an Early Harvest Programme.
Implemented on 1 January 2004, the Programme covered the elimination of tariff lines
for some agricultural products for all the parties to the FTA. The ASEAN-China Trade in
Goods Agreement entered into force in July 2005, and has been revised to include,
among others, provisions on TBT and SPS Measures. In terms of market access, tariff
elimination has now been completed for more than 91.9% of total tariff lines for the
