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

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

With more and more countries granting China full market-economy status, Chinese companies may find it easier to deal with anti-dumping charges, said an official with the ministry.

Non market-economy status has left China open to anti-dumping measures imposed by some members of the World Trade Organization, 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.

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)