Fourteen countries recognized China as a full market economy in 2006, bringing the total number to sixty-six, revealed the Ministry of Commerce on Sunday.

The countries --most based on the African continent-- include Egypt, Kenya, Algeria, Sudan, Liberia, the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, Mali, Gabon, Niger and Micronesia, said the ministry.

With ever more countries granting China full market-economy status, Chinese companies will better be able to deal with anti-dumping charges, said an official with the ministry.

Non market-economy status has left China prone to anti-dumping measures imposed by some WTO members, which sometimes use production costs in other countries to evaluate whether or not Chinese exports are unfairly priced.

China's three largest trading partners including the European Union, the United States and Japan have yet to accord China full market-economy status.

The official urged countries to evaluate China's progress in building a market economy in a fair and objective manner and recognize China as a full market economy at an early date.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2007)