• Proposals were reviewed by both sides, with a focus on strengthening trade relations, finding areas to cooperate and fostering partnerships

Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The second round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the GCC countries and Japan ended in Tokyo on Friday.

Taking part in the discussions — which covered topics including goods, technical barriers, terms of services, financial and telecommunications services, and intellectual property — was a government delegation led by the General Authority for Foreign Trade.

Proposals were reviewed by both sides, with a focus on strengthening trade relations, finding areas to cooperate and fostering partnerships.

Farid bin Saeed Al-Asali, deputy governor of the General Authority for International Organizations and Agreements and head of the Saudi Negotiating Team, said he was looking forward to completing the remaining negotiation rounds and reaching an ambitious final agreement which would be beneficial to the volume of trade between both sides.

He added the negotiation rounds highlighted economic ties between the GCC and Japan and supported Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

During a meeting with the Saudi ambassador to Japan, Dr. Ghazi bin Faisal Binzagr, Al-Asali stressed the importance of free trade negotiations with Japan as they emphasized the commitment of both Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries to enhancing relations with Japan and achieving the goals of the Saudi-Japanese Vision 2030.

The Kingdom’s delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Ministry of Investment, Ministry of Economy and Planning, Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, Saudi Export Development Authority, Communications, Space and Technology Commission, Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and the Saudi Central Bank.