The development of free trade areas have surged over the last decade. The World Trade Organization says more than 200 FTA pacts have been signed since the 1990s. And China is also a major power in the process.

Every year, the WTO releases a report after conducting in-depth research into world trade and trade policies.

The annual World Trade Report 2011 looks at FTA development. It says WTO members have made huge efforts to set up free-trade areas.

Take China as an example. In the past decade, it has signed free-trade pacts with more than ten nations and regions in the world, including Pakistan, Chile, Singapore, New Zealand and Peru. The China-ASEAN free trade area, which came into effect on January 1st, 2010, is the largest in the world in terms of population.

Chinese officials say that the report is of high value for the government to draw up additional trade policies.

Hu Yingzhi, official from department of WTO affairs, Ministry of Commerce, said, "This report has reference value for China to formulate future FTA strategies and trade policies."

The report encourages members to consolidate multilateral trading systems while setting up free-trade areas. In the meantime, it says relevant rules should also be clarified so as to provide a better environment for FTA development.

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