Federal Trade Minister Simon Crean says the Prime Minister has shown the Australian Government can express concerns about Tibet, without affecting the trade relationship with China.

Swiss Economics Minister Doris Leuthard said Switzerland is aiming to start talks to clinch a free trade agreement with China. Leuthard told local media that she would lead a large business delegation to China in June, and try to give support so that China opened negotiations with Switzerland, Swiss Radio International (SRI) reported.

The United States and South Korea concluded a landmark free trade agreement Monday, a U.S. official said, culminating 10 months of negotiations in a final week of intense haggling that just beat a key U.S. legislative deadline.

The push for a trade liberalization deal between the United States and South Korea is going down to the wire. Negotiators extended their deadline to hammer out sensitive issues to produce a deal before a crucial legislative deadline.

Thailand will sign a free trade agreement with Japan when Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont visits the country next week, an official said Tuesday.