BEIJING, June 18 -- China always applies itself to create an open and fair environment for regional trade and investment, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks after China and Australia signed a free trade agreement (FTA) on Wednesday after a decade of negotiations.

In early June, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) also signed an FTA, another step to consolidate all-round cooperation.

"We are happy to see that our efforts have succeeded in removing obstacles and made steady progress, resulting in new achievement one after another," Lu said.

Lu said Asia has become an important engine for global economic growth and will provide critical support to China's development and prosperity.

The vast majority of countries in the region are more concerned about development, Lu said, noting that these countries want to expand cooperation.