Chile mulls over FTAs with Thailand, Malaysia

Chile has begun a feasibility study on free trade agreements (FTAs) with Thailand and Malaysia, the international economic relations directorate of the Chilean Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Chile, Thailand and Malaysia signed documents agreeing to begin FTA talks at the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in South Korea last year.

On Tuesday, the working groups completed their first meeting in Bangkok, which set out the timetable for the feasibility study on the FTAs.

The second meeting is to be held in the last week of May in Chile's capital Santiago.

Chile has been seeking close diplomatic and trade ties with Asian nations over the last six years. It signed a free trade deal with South Korea in 2003, which has produced very positive results.

The FTA it signed with China in 2005 has not yet been ratified by Chile's parliament.

Deals with Brunei, New Zealand and Singapore also await parliamentary approval.

Source: Xinhua