MOC calms talk of more FTZ pilots

BEIJING - China is still reviewing the applications of prospective new free trade zone (FTZ) pilots and hasn't green-lit the establishment of any yet, a commercial official said on Friday.

"We are still studying other places' FTZ applications and the State Council hasn't approved any new set-up," said an official of the Ministry of Commerce's International Trade and Economic Relations Department.

Media reported on Wednesday that China's central government had given the nod to 12 FTZs following the one in Shanghai, amid a spurt of nationwide enthusiasm for such schemes.

Tianjin municipality, Guangdong province and another 10 cities or provinces are among those said to have been given the green light.

Last September, China established the Shanghai FTZ, the first of its kind, as a national strategic trial to further tap market forces and push market-oriented trade and investment reforms.

China will explore setting up other FTZ pilots while further developing current ones, according to the statement from last November's key reform agenda-setting CPC meeting.