Cities in China are lining up to establish free trade zones of their own, following on the FTZ recently established in Shanghai. Twelve cities have received a reply from the State Council, according to Economic Information Daily.

A flurry of discussions about free trade zones has marked many local government sessions and is considered as a major task to be completed in 2014.

Further research and analysis will be conducted after the State Council receives an application to set up an FTZ. That process is expected to take at least one year.

Analyses of Tianjin and Guangdong provinces, FTZ applications has been completed, but others are still in early stages.