Vice Commerce Minister Gao Yan speaks at a press conference in Beijing [Photo: China.org.cn]

Chinese authorities have announced plans to expand imports from South Asia through its "Belt and Road Initative."

Vice Commerce Minister Gao Yan says one of the steps to be taken will include giving companies from South Asian countries help in promoting their products in China.

"Our next move is to work with the local industry and business associations to help companies export their goods to China. As President Xi Jinping has said, China plans to remove tariffs on 97% of exports coming to China from underdeveloped countries. We believe this will be very beneficial in increasing the quantity and varieties of commodities being exported to China. We will also be pushing the development of free-trade zones to provide convenience in exporting to China."

Trade volume between China and South Asian countries reached a record high of more than 110-billion US dollars last year, an increase of nearly 5-percent.

Chinese authorities have been putting on a trade expo featuring South Asian countries in the city of Kunming since 2013.

China has already established free trade zones with Pakistan, and is currently negotiating free-trade pacts with other countries in South Asia, including the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.