The Association of Southeast Asian Nations -ASEAN and the People's Republic of China finally signed a comprehensive economic deal recently after seven years of negotiations. China is ASEAN's eighth largest investor with accumulated investments of US$6.1 billion as of 2008, while the 10 ASEAN member countries invested a total $5.6 billion in the same year. Signed by economic ministers from ASEAN's 10 member countries and the PRC's Trade Minister Chen Deming, the agreement is expected to boost trade and investment.

The core point is not liberalization, but investment facilitation, promotion and the creation of legal certainty. This was stated by the Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, after the signing in Bangkok. Now ASEAN has a clear platform to develop economic integration with one of the world's key economic players. The investment pact is the third free trade agreement between  China and ASEAN.    rri.co.id-voi/dd