Hu: Be sincere in trade talks
Friday, September 7, 2007
CHINA demanded developed nations show "sincerity" in attempts to revive global trade talks yesterday, countering calls from the United States and Australia for Beijing to break the deadlock.
Despite the finger-pointing, World Trade Organisation (WTO) director general Pascal Lamy said he was cautiously optimistic a deal was possible if world leaders remained committed to success.
Chinese President Hu Jintao underscored the differences between developed and emerging nations ahead of a bilateral meeting with his US counterpart George W Bush in Sydney.
While he expressed strong support for the need to finalise the WTO's Doha round of negotiations, Hu laid the blame for the failure to find a breakthrough on rich nations.
"The major developed members of the WTO should make due efforts for the successful conclusion of the negotiation by demonstrating more sincerity and flexibility on key issues such as reducing agricultural tariffs and subsidies," he said.
Hu, in Sydney for a summit at the weekend of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, told a meeting of business leaders that talks were at a crucial stage.
"We must say no to trade protectionism, eliminate trade barriers and move the Doha round towards a comprehensive and balanced outcome at an early date," Hu said.
The WTO talks, launched six years ago in the Qatari capital Doha, have stalled over differences on farm subsidies and import tariffs between rich and poor nations.
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said the Doha round was high on the agenda at the meeting between Bush and Hu. "China clearly recognises the critical stake that it has in a healthy global rules-based trading system," she told reporters.
Schwab played down expectations that Bush was set to announce concessions aimed at securing a breakthrough ahead of the Apec meeting, saying the United States was prepared to be flexible but expected the same from others.
"There were (countries) that in July were making noises that made us very uncomfortable and very nervous about the prospects for the Doha round," she said.
"That includes countries like Argentina and Brazil and India and a few others."
WTO negotiators launched a three-week drive on Monday seeking a breakthrough in the trade talks.
Australian Trade Minister Warren Truss said China had a critical role to play, even though it only joined the WTO in 2003.
"It's a fair comment that in the past China has tended to take the view that, as a recently-ascended WTO member, little or nothing could be expected of it in the way of new concessions arising out of the Doha round," he said.
"That's not a position that we readily accept and I trust that China's new commitment to the Doha round will also include a willingness to go to the table and be prepared to make an appropriate range of concessions to help achieve the outcome."AFP
Despite the finger-pointing, World Trade Organisation (WTO) director general Pascal Lamy said he was cautiously optimistic a deal was possible if world leaders remained committed to success.
Chinese President Hu Jintao underscored the differences between developed and emerging nations ahead of a bilateral meeting with his US counterpart George W Bush in Sydney.
While he expressed strong support for the need to finalise the WTO's Doha round of negotiations, Hu laid the blame for the failure to find a breakthrough on rich nations.
"The major developed members of the WTO should make due efforts for the successful conclusion of the negotiation by demonstrating more sincerity and flexibility on key issues such as reducing agricultural tariffs and subsidies," he said.
Hu, in Sydney for a summit at the weekend of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, told a meeting of business leaders that talks were at a crucial stage.
"We must say no to trade protectionism, eliminate trade barriers and move the Doha round towards a comprehensive and balanced outcome at an early date," Hu said.
The WTO talks, launched six years ago in the Qatari capital Doha, have stalled over differences on farm subsidies and import tariffs between rich and poor nations.
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said the Doha round was high on the agenda at the meeting between Bush and Hu. "China clearly recognises the critical stake that it has in a healthy global rules-based trading system," she told reporters.
Schwab played down expectations that Bush was set to announce concessions aimed at securing a breakthrough ahead of the Apec meeting, saying the United States was prepared to be flexible but expected the same from others.
"There were (countries) that in July were making noises that made us very uncomfortable and very nervous about the prospects for the Doha round," she said.
"That includes countries like Argentina and Brazil and India and a few others."
WTO negotiators launched a three-week drive on Monday seeking a breakthrough in the trade talks.
Australian Trade Minister Warren Truss said China had a critical role to play, even though it only joined the WTO in 2003.
"It's a fair comment that in the past China has tended to take the view that, as a recently-ascended WTO member, little or nothing could be expected of it in the way of new concessions arising out of the Doha round," he said.
"That's not a position that we readily accept and I trust that China's new commitment to the Doha round will also include a willingness to go to the table and be prepared to make an appropriate range of concessions to help achieve the outcome."AFP
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