China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday held a ceremony marking the establishment of the world's largest free trade area.

About 300 officials, scholars and business executives from China and 10 ASEAN nations attended the ceremony.

Officially launched last Friday, the world's largest FTA embracing developing countries covers a population of 1.9 billion and involves about US$4.5 trillion of trade volume.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2010)