Home>>World
Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 23, 2003

Bush expects US-Australia free trade deal by 2004

Visiting US President George W. Bush said Thursday in Canberra that a free trade agreement between his country and Australia is expected to be reached by the end of the year.


PRINT DISCUSSION CHINESE SEND TO FRIEND


Visiting US President George W. Bush said Thursday in Canberra that a free trade agreement between his country and Australia is expected to be reached by the end of the year.

"What I'm committed to is seeing that we can get this free trade agreement done by the end of December," Bush told reporters during a brief public appearance as he met with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

"I think a free trade agreement with Australia will be good for America, for American workers. I also believe it will be good for Australia," Bush said.

Trade between Australia and the United States totals 28 billion US dollars a year. Australia wants the United States to relax import quotes and reduce tariffs on its agricultural products.

"Obviously, agriculture is an important issue, intellectual property is an important issue. There's a lot of important issues that we've got to work through, and I think we can," said Bush, who is on a whirlwind tour to Australia at the end of a six-nationAsia-Pacific tour.

The US president addressed Australia's parliament Thursday morning to thank Australia's support to the US-led war in Afghanistan and Iraq. As he was praising Australia's role in the regional peace, thousands of demonstrators outside the parliament chanting slogans in protesting against the US-led war in Iraq.


Questions?Comments? Click here
    Advanced








 


Why China chose to develop spaceship instead of space shuttle? ( 10 Messages)

President Hu talks about Taiwan, SARS, RMB ( 3 Messages)

India's after joint military maneuver with China ( 6 Messages)

US manufacturers' wish to complain to WTO about RMB: a good thing for China ( 2 Messages)

Hong Kong considering shifting to Mandarin ( 5 Messages)



Copyright by People's Daily Online, all rights reserved