China becomes Ecuador's second-largest trading partner

BEIJING, Aug. 20 -- China has become Ecuador's second-largest trading partner as bilateral trade has grown rapidly since the China-Ecuador free trade agreement (FTA) took effect more than two years ago, a commerce ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

Bilateral trade reached 9.83 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of this year, up more than 20 percent year on year, spokesperson He Yadong told a regular press conference.

On Tuesday, China's Ministry of Commerce and Ecuador's ministry of economic and productive development signed a roadmap for bilateral economic and trade cooperation and a memorandum of understanding on supporting free trade and multilateralism, witnessed by the two heads of state, He said.

The two sides agreed to strengthen economic and trade coordination and advance cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, agriculture and food, e-commerce and sustainable development, according to the spokesperson.

They will also work together to implement the bilateral FTA, avoid taking unjustified discriminatory economic and trade measures against each other, and maintain communication and share information on trade measures involving third countries, the spokesperson said.

China is ready to work with Ecuador to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, make good use of bilateral economic and trade cooperation mechanisms, promote higher-quality China-Ecuador economic and trade cooperation, and further deepen and advance the China-Ecuador comprehensive strategic partnership, said He.