China's Premier Li Keqiang undercores importance of free trade

China's Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday that Beijing hoped a consultation with Southeast Asian nations on a code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea would be completed in three years and that such a deal would be conducive for free trade.

In his remarks in a speech delivered in Singapore, he also said he hoped to finalise a major trade pact with 15 other countries called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2019.