“Most foreign trade analysts estimate that the number of companies exporting to the People's Republic of China may grow between 15% and 17% during the first year of the free trade agreement, and some ones estimate it may even grow by 20%” he said.

He pointed out that there are currently more than 1,000 companies in Peru exporting directly to China, while another 7,000 do so indirectly.

"We might have some 1,000 new companies exporting to China every year, and that would make a total of 10,000 enterprises selling their products to that market in ten years' time,” he told Andina News Agency.

He added that there are more than 1.3 billion of people living in China with ever greater purchasing power which may pay well for Peruvian products, especially in the agriculture and fisheries sectors, among others.

He also highlighted the fact that in 2009, a year of international financial crisis, Peruvian exports to China grew by 12%.

(END) DCT/JPC/DCR/RMB