China Seeks Talks With India to Push Asia Trade Pact, Sources Say

  • Asian giant to attempt assuaging India’s import surge fears
  • New Delhi may reach out to other nations for consensus on pact

Photographer: Sanjit Das/Bloomberg

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China has sought talks with India to allay concerns on a regional free trade pact it is spearheading, two people familiar with the matter said, as Beijing seeks newer markets amid the ongoing trade war with the U.S.

The 16-country Regional Comprehensive Economic Agreement has been in the works for a while and China is keen to conclude it by end of 2019, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is not public. India’s wariness about a possible flood of Chinese goods, and its demand for looser immigration rules for its tech professionals remain sticking points.