The National Assembly of Ecuador, the country's unicameral legislature, on February 7 ratified a free trade agreement between the Andean nation and China.

"Promoting the expansion and diversification of trade between Ecuador and China, eliminating trade barriers and facilitating the cross-border circulation of goods are the goals of the free trade agreement approved by the National Assembly," the legislature said in a statement.

The agreement includes over 800 agreed exemptions to protect Ecuadorian industry. 

Following the approval by the country's Parliament, the Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador said on X that the agreement would allow a 50% increase in banana exports to China in the next five years. After more than a year of work on the document, China and Ecuador signed the free trade agreement in May 2023. After more than a year of work on the document, China and Ecuador signed the free trade agreement in May 2023.