Other trade talks speeded-up by NZ-China FTA

WELLINGTON, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The free trade deal with China and mounting concern about securing food supplies are helping New Zealand in its efforts to secure agreements with major Asian economies, Radio New Zealand reported on Tuesday.

There have been breakthroughs in speeding up talks with Japan and South Korea, while India hopes to achieve a free trade agreement with New Zealand by the end of next year.

New Zealand Trade Minister Phil Goff was cautious about whether talks with India will be completed in that time - a Singapore deal took a year, but the China agreement took about three years to complete.

But he said there's no doubt New Zealand's strength in the food sector is helping to open doors and negotiations are moving at a faster pace.

A former trade negotiator, Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce chief executive Charles Finny, said the New Zealand FTA with China is hugely influential in talks moving faster than anticipated.