DATE=4/6/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247717
TITLE= CHINA W-T-O (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=BARRY WOOD
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE TALKS BETWEEN VISITING CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONJI AND
PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL LIKELY BE HEAVILY FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC
MATTERS, PARTICULARLY CHINA'S LONG STANDING EFFORT TO GAIN
MEMBERSHIP IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD
REPORTS SOME U-S TRADE EXPERTS DOUBT THAT A W-T-O DEAL WILL BE
WORKED OUT DURING MR. ZHU'S VISIT.
TEXT: PREMIER ZHU SAYS A W-T-O AGREEMENT IS VERY CLOSE. BUT IN
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE WALL STREET JOURNAL THE CHINESE LEADER
SUGGESTS THAT POLITICAL OPPOSITION IN THE UNITED STATES MAY
PRECLUDE AN AGREEMENT.
CHINA HAS BEEN SEEKING MEMBERSHIP IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
AND ITS PREDESSESSOR ORGANIZATION (THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON
TARIFFS AND TRADE--GATT) SINCE 1986. BUT IT HAS REPEATEDLY FAILED
TO QUALIFY BECAUSE IT DOES NOT FULLY EMBRACE THE FREE TRADE
POLICIES OF THE W-T-O. CHINA'S ECONOMY IS RIDDLED WITH
DISTORTIONS. IT HAS HUNDREDS OF NON-TARIFF BARRIERS TO IMPORTS.
AND IT STRICTLY CONTROLS THE OPERATIONS OF FOREIGN COMPANIES.
NICHOLAS LARDY, AN ECONOMICS SPECIALIST AT THE BROOKINGS
INSTITUTION, DOES NOT THINK W-T-O AGREEMENT WILL BE REACHED IN
WASHINGTON. BUT MR. LARDY BELIEVES IT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF THE
UNITED STATES THAT CHINA BE IN THE TRADE ORGANIZATION.
//LARDY ACT//
FIRST OF ALL IT WOULD STRENGTHEN THE WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION. CHINA IS NOW ONE OF THE LARGEST TRADING
COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD. I THINK IT IS EIGHTH OR NINTH,
ACCORDING TO W-T-O DATA. AND IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS, THESE ARE THE ONLY YEARS IN WHICH ONE OF THE TEN
TOP TRADING COUNTRIES WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE W-T-O. AND
HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECT TO ALL THE DISCIPLINES AND
PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD TRADING SYSTEM.
//END ACT//
ASIDE FROM CHINA, 30 OTHER COUNTRIES--INCLUDING RUSSIA--HAVE
APPLIED TO JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION.
MR. LARDY AND OTHER TRADE SPECIALISTS SAY IN ORDER TO GAIN ENTRY,
CHINA MUST GET RID OF ITS NON-TARIFF BARRIERS, COMPLY WITH W-T-O
REQUIREMENTS FORBIDDING PIRACY AND PROTECTING INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY. IT MUST ALSO SUBMIT A TIMETABLE FOR ELIMINATING TRADE
DISTORTING SUBSIDIES.
IN RECENT DAYS CHINA HAS MADE IMPORTANT OVERTURES TO AMERICAN
COMPANIES, ADOPTING A U-S RATHER THAN A EUROPEAN STANDARD FOR
CELLULAR TELEPHONES. FOREIGN FIRMS WILL BE ALLOWED TO PURCHASE
SIGNFICANT MINORITY HOLDINGS IN CHINESE PHONE COMPANIES. BOTH THE
U-S COMMERCE SECRETARY AND THE TRADE REPRESENTATIVE HAVE BEEN IN
BEJING FOR TALKS ON W-T-O MEMBERSHIP.
CHINA HAS BECOME A LARGE TRADE PARTNER FOR THE UNITED STATES BUT
THE TRADE RELATIONSHIP IS HEAVILY IN CHINA'S FAVOR. LAST YEAR
THE U-S DEFICIT IN BI-LATERAL TRADE EXCEEDED 55 BILLION DOLLARS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/PT
06-Apr-99 5:41 PM EDT (2141 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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