China and Peru will accomplish a free trade agreement (FTA) and become strategic associates, which would bring more investments and tourism to this South American country, Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Garcia Belaunde said Thursday.

"We have obtained from China the commitment to accomplish the FTA soon, which will create for us a strategic associate status and will also energize the economic and trade relation," he said when accompanying Peruvian President Alan Garcia on an official visit to China.

The FTA with China is "a lot closer" to be accomplished than the one with Japan, he added.

Garcia Belaunde said Peru attaches the greatest importance to China's strategic associate status.

"Once this status is accomplished, China's business sector is going to Peru, for both investments and tourism," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2008)