China's WTO entry rests on solving differences: negotiator

Asian Economic News, Oct 23, 2000

GENEVA, Oct. 17 Kyodo

China's key negotiator on its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) stressed Monday that its entry into the world trade body hinges solely on bridging gaps with countries such as the United States and the European Union (EU).

''Conclusion is not a matter of time,'' Long Yongtu, Chinese vice minister of foreign trade and economic cooperation, told Kyodo News in Geneva. ''It's how quickly we can resolve all these pending issues.''

China is in the final phase of entering the WTO, trying to conclude multilateral negotiations on its terms of accession. But the talks in Geneva have stalled.

According to trade sources, differences still exist on ''core issues'' such as anti-dumping measures, reform of China's judicial system and safeguard measures.

Diplomats have started to question whether the country can meet the goal of accession to the WTO by the end of the year.

After failing to conclude WTO multilateral talks in the September session, U.S. Trade Representatives Charlene Barshefsky visited China earlier this month to sort out the problem, but Long cautioned not to expect too much from the visit.

''I don't think we should overemphasize the role of one single country, or one single visit,'' Long said. ''It is now a multilateral process.'' European Commissioner for Trade Pascal Lamy is scheduled to visit China later this month.

Long was in Geneva to attend a meeting of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Diplomats expected the vice minister to meet WTO chief Mike Moore and the chairman of the multilateral working group on China's accession, Pierre Girard, during his stay.

Girard in September said the multilateral talks could resume sometime at the end of October or early November, pending the ''political will by all sides'' including the U.S., the EU and China on making concessions.

Long was hopeful that the talks could be convened later this month. ''We should have a good working party session at the end of this month,'' Long said. When asked about the ''political will,'' Long said, ''People (already) have political will...(It's) no problem.''

Earlier in the UNCTAD meeting, which Moore and Girard both attended, Long complained that the current WTO rules were ''a benefit to the developed world only,'' and stressed the need for more preferential treatment for developing countries.

''We respect rules, but we want the rules to be fair,'' Long said, adding that the issue should be a top agenda item at the next round of trade liberalization talks.