China supports HK's access to FTA with ASEAN: minister

 SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China supports Hong Kong's access to the China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone (FTA) as it facilitates the economic integration¹ of the southeastern Asian nations, said the Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming here on Wednesday.

Chen made the remarks when speaking to the media at the sidelines of the on-going 44th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting in Cambodia's tourist City of Siem Reap.

Chen said that Hong Kong's access to the FTA is listed as one of the widely discussed topics during the ministers' meetings. Some of the ASEAN nations had voiced their desires to initiate² the negation³ about Hong Kong's entrance.

"Hong Kong is a very important economy in east Asian area in terms of trade and investment," said Chen, adding, "its access to the China-ASEAN FTA will positively⁴ facilitate the regional economic integration."

According to Chen, Hong Kong's economic advantages lie in its investment environment, strong service industry and its ability to develop the international market.

"However, some ASEAN nations have to carefully assess Hong Kong 's access to the FTA as their interests might be hurt by the latter's high level of economic openness and freedom," Chen added.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the ministers meeting on Monday, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed to the ministers to finalize⁵ the discussions of Hong Kong's access of FTA and submit it to the ASEAN summit in November for the final approval.

1 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

2 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

3 negation   

n.否定；否认

参考例句：

• No reasonable negation can be offered.没有合理的反对意见可以提出。
• The author boxed the compass of negation in his article.该作者在文章中依次探讨了各种反面的意见。

4 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

5 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。