Lima, Jan. 27, 2005.- Andean Community Secretary General, Ambassador Allan Wagner, today underscored the importance of developing more dynamic and deep trade relations with China, a country in the process of becoming the world’s foremost economic power.

He reported that the visit by Chinese Vice-president Zeng Qinghong to the CAN General Secretariat during a formal session of the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers has sealed the deepening of those relations.

"This visit constitutes a landmark in the deepening of CAN-Chinese relations in areas like trade, investment, energy, and the environment, among others, launched with the signing of an agreement to set up a mechanism for political consultation and cooperation that has made it possible, through a series of meetings, to construct a favorable vehicle for this bilateral relationship,” he stated.

The Secretary General pointed out that, as a result of this mutual rapprochement, trade between the two parties has grown vigorously in recent years. Andean exports to China tripled over the period 1999-2003 and were 100% larger in 2004, while at the same time our imports have quadrupled.

"I am certain our trade figures will continue to rise and will tend to reach a balance in the near future as a result of important convergences between that great country and the Member nations of the Andean Community,” he affirmed.

Wagner stated that the Andean Community countries, because of their geographic location and ports, are equipped to serve as a natural “bridge” between South America and China, both of which are called upon to play a leading world role in the next few decades.

He expressed his hope that China, in turn, would become a platform for the Andean countries’ entry into the Pacific Basin markets.

"The Andean Community aspires to consolidate the participation of the five Member Countries in the Asia-Pacific grouping in 2008, when Peru is due to host the APEC and the moratorium on new memberships will expire,” Wagner stressed.