China's imports from ASEAN up 45% in 2010

China's General Administration of Customs stated China's imports from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) rose 44.8% to USD154.56 billion in 2010 (Xinhua, 21-Jan-2011). Since the establishment of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area at the beginning of 2010, bilateral trade has increased 37.5% year-on-year to USD292.78 billion. ASEAN is China's fourth largest trading partner, after the European Union, the US and Japan. In 2010, China's exports to ASEAN increased 30.1% year-on-year to USD138.2 billion.