China yesterday announced the appointment of the first ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), signaling the growing importance it attaches to the region.

The ambassador, Xue Hanqin, is a "senior diplomat and expert on international law" who served as ambassador to the Netherlands and permanent representative to the Organization on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a news briefing.

The appointment of ambassador is seen as another move by China to strengthen ties with regional blocs and settle disputes by sending special envoys. Last year, the government appointed a special representative to Africa, with a particular focus on Darfur. Later, it created the position of special envoy for climate change negotiations.

As for the ASEAN it has become increasingly important to China, as bilateral trade totaled $199.1 billion in the first 10 months of this year, a 20 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Ministry of Commerce. That is nearly a 10th of China's total trade volume during that period.

Liao Shaolian, deputy director of the center for Southeast Asian studies under Xiamen University, told ibdaily.com the ASEAN might replace Japan as China's third largest trading partner next year.

In 2010, with the establishment of the China-ASEAN free trade area, the 10-nation group might even surpass the US to become China's second largest trading partner, ranking only after the EU, he said.

And according to Zhai Kun, a scholar on Southeast Asian studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, the new ASEAN position is “as important as that of the ambassador to the EU."

Questions:

1. In what field is China’s new ambassador to ASEAN an expert in?

2. Bilateral trade between China and ASEAN totaled how much in the first 10 months of this year?

3. When will the China ASEAN FTA be established?

Answers:

1. International law.

2. $199.1 billion.

3. 2010.