After EU Talks, China's PM Sees WTO Entry OK In Nov
BRUSSELS (AP)--Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji joined European Union leaders
Wednesday in predicting China would soon iron out the last obstacles to get
approval in November for entry in the World Trade Organization.
Speaking after the annual E.U.-China summit, Zhu said the Europeans had
assured him they would try to work out a dispute with the U.S. over access
to the Chinese insurance market, which has stalled finalization of China's
entry terms.
"If this obstacle is removed, I believe China will become a WTO member in
November," Zhu told a news conference, speaking through a translator.
E.U. officials said that even if Chinese membership is approved by the
141-nation world trade body at a ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar, in
November, procedures mean it won't formally join until early next year, but
could already participate in talks in launching a new round of global talks
to open world trade.
Zhu led a 135-strong Chinese delegation, including 12 government ministers,
in the one-day meeting with E.U. officials led by European Commission
President Romano Prodi and Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, whose
country currently holds the E.U. presidency.
Officials said the talks indicate the increasing importance Beijing attaches
to its relationship with the 15-nation E.U., which recently replaced the
U.S. as China's second largest trading partner after Japan.
China-E.U. trade grew by more than one-third in 2000 reaching EUR95 billion,
but the Europeans are concerned that the flow of Chinese goods into the E.U.
represented the lions share.
Prodi said he hoped early WTO membership would open Chinese markets and cut
the E.U.'s deficit, which topped EUR11 billion in the first three months of
this year.
"With the WTO entry of China, the trade relationship will be more equal,"
said Prodi, adding that Zhu's decision to hold a joint news conference with
the Europeans for the first time in four such summits was a sign of
improving relations.
After 15 years of trying, China is close to achieving its goal of WTO
membership. The future of a single U.S. insurance company already operating
in China is seen as the main remaining snag, with the E.U. fearful it could
have unfair advantage over European rivals.
E.U. officials were hopeful the problem could be resolved in talks next week
at WTO headquarters in Geneva.
"They assured us the terms of the accords with the Americans and with us
will be respected fully," said EU trade spokesman Anthony Gooch.
Verhofstadt countered complaints by campaigners that the E.U. had allowed
its drive to improve trade push human rights off the agenda.
The Belgian premier said he had voiced E.U. concerns about an increase in
the execution of criminals, the treatment of religious minorities, the
situation in Tibet and other rights abuses.
In a joint-statement, China and the E.U. said they would continue speaking
about human rights "on the basis of mutual respect and equality."
Human rights campaigners had hoped the E.U. would take a tougher line.
"China's human rights record remains dismal," Human Rights Watch said in a
statement ahead of the summit. "Quiet diplomacy, bilateral 'human rights
dialogues,' technical assistance programs aimed at legal reform -have had
little, if any, effect on changing abusive practices."
China and the E.U. said they would increase high level political contacts
and expand their regular talks to include discussions of arms control.
(END) DOW JONES NEWS 09-05-01
03:33 PM |
