Over 84 products from Bangladesh will gain free access into China from January 1, 2006.

This tariff concession under the Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), previously known as Bangkok Agreement was earlier scheduled to be effective from July 1, 2006.

But, Chinese Ministry of Commerce decided to pre-pone the date by six months.

An official statement to this effect informs said that a note – verbale was issued to Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing explaining this decision while Bangladesh confirmed its acceptance.

The agreement will cover products like frozen foods, jute and jute products, leather, plastic ware, and photo accessories, readymade garments, soap and textiles.

Bangladesh is a Least Developed Country (LDC) in the six-member regional grouping consisting of China, India, Republic of Korea, Laos People's Democratic Republic and Sri Lanka.

The APTA, signed in 1975 as an initiative of Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), is a preferential tariff arrangement that aims at promoting intra-regional trade through exchange of mutually agreeable concessions by member-country.

Fibre2fashion.com