'optimistic'

Foreign Investment Law and establishing new pilot free trade zones.

Early this month, the State Council issued a guideline on better using foreign investment, with a focus on safeguarding the national treatment of foreign-funded enterprises. Ye Wei, deputy director-general of the department, said the commerce ministry has been working with relevant departments to work out supporting regulations for the Foreign Investment Law, which will come into force in January. The draft of the law is available online for public comment, and judicial interpretation is also being formulated, he said.

The ministry has also been training local offices in understanding the significance of the law, so as to provide a foundation for its implementation, he said.

In October, MAXAM, a provider of energetic materials and blasting solutions, opened its first plant in Shandong province. Jose Fernando Sanchez-Junco Mans, company chairman and CEO, said China's economy is now on its strategic transformation trajectory to sustainable and high-quality growth, which provides tremendous business opportunities for the company. Meanwhile, Norway hoped for early FTA deal with China.

Norway's seafood exports to China are projected to continue growing strongly, as the two countries have been making good progress on consultations for a free trade agreement, a Norwegian official said.

"China is Norway's most important trading partner in Asia, and I am pleased with the positive development in our seafood exports to this market," Harald Nesvik, the Norwegian minister of fisheries and seafood, said at a recent news conference. "During my time visiting China, I have observed the close collaboration between the Norwegian and Chinese seafood industries, and I look forward to seeing the long-term growth of seafood trade between our two countries," he said.