In 2002, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed a Framework Agreement to promote free trade between member states and the People's Republic of China. That agreement will see tariff reductions fully implemented for the original six members of ASEAN (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand) by 2010 and for the four newer member states (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam) by 2015.

AIRD's Lynn Salinger traveled to China and Vietnam last month to help the United Nations Development Program prepare a $3 million project of support, training, research, business outreach, and promotion services, the purpose of which is to support the development of "two corridors, one circle" of accelerated integration between the two countries.

Cross-border economic cooperation zones, comprised of modern border crossings with customs, inspection, immigration, and quarantine facilities, linked by modern road and rail transport between Kunming (Yunnan) and Haiphong (Vietnam) via Hanoi and Nanning (Guangxi) and Haiphong (Vietnam) via Hanoi, are being constructed. Eventually these zones will also contain modern trade facilitation services and industrial processing zones.