A top Chinese envoy here said Tuesday trade between South Korea and China is likely to slow down because of the worldwide frozen economy.

Cheng Yonghua, Chinese Ambassador to Seoul, said mutual trade between the two countries, which had been growing sharply in recent years, is ``showing signs of diminishing amid the global slowdown,'' during a breakfast meeting hosted by the Korea Importers Association, at Seoul's Westin Chosun Hotel. China is Korea's biggest trading partner.

``This is a time when the two countries have to help each other the most so we can overcome the global financial crisis together," Cheng said.

The ambassador suggested measures such as a free trade agreement, expansion of mutual investment, as well as further conflict-prevention efforts to enable early achievement of the $200-billion mark in trade between the two Far Eastern countries.

Recent trade between the two has nose-dived. In January, exports to China plummeted over 30 percent as the country ? accounting for 20 percent of Korea's outbound shipments ? substantially cut down on imports.

Signs of commercial conflicts started to show last month after Beijing notified Seoul of an anti-dumping probe plan into six local petrochemical firms on exports of terephthalic acid, a commodity chemical used as a material for clothing and plastic bottles. The plan was withdrawn after a prior consultation of the two governments, according to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.