DATE=11/10/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-WTO (L)
NUMBER=2-256003
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Trade negotiators from China and the United
States are making last ditch efforts to conclude a
deal on Beijing's entry into the World Trade
Organization. V-O-A's Stephanie Ho reports high-level
officials from both sides held the first of two
scheduled days of meetings (Wednesday) in Beijing.
TEXT: The negotiations on China's bid to join the
global trade body have been described as make-or-break
talks. They take on urgency because W-T-O membership
would give China a full voice when the organization
begins a world trade summit at the end of this month.
In Beijing Wednesday, Chinese foreign trade minister
Shi Guangsheng smiled warm greetings to U-S Trade
Representative Charlene Barshefsky and White House
economic adviser Gene Sperling.
Mr. Shi was optimistic about the talks, telling his
guests China is positive and earnest. Official
Chinese media quote Premier Zhu Rongji as repeating
Beijing's position that it will only become a W-T-O
member as a developing country.
This week's hastily-arranged meeting came as a result
of a phone call President Clinton made to Chinese
president Jiang Zemin on Saturday.
Although both sides are upbeat, a deal is not
guaranteed.
The Vice-chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce,
John Sullivan, said he is cautiously optimistic a deal
can be reached in what he termed the near future.
// SULLIVAN ACT //
We certainly hope that it's done sooner rather than
later.
// END ACT //
But when asked whether an agreement would be reached
by the time these negotiations are scheduled to end
Thursday, he said it is hard to say whether it will
take just one more day or several more weeks.
// SULLIVAN ACT //
Well, I wish I had a crystal ball and I could tell you
that.
// END ACT //
Some of the issues that remain to be resolved are
textile quotas, as well as greater market access for
foreign telecommunications, auto and financial
services companies.
Mr. Sullivan says the American Chamber of Commerce is
very much in favor of a deal similar to the one
Chinese Premier Zhu presented in Washington in April.
Although President Clinton turned down that offer, his
aides published it in detail - a move that helped
influential W-T-O opponents in China lobby against it.
Then, in the anti-U-S demonstrations that swept China
in May after NATO bombs destroyed Beijing's embassy in
Yugoslavia, protesters branded Mr. Zhu a sellout to
foreign investors.
Despite the imminent deadline, China has not been
eager to resume W-T-O negotiations. The Chinese
leadership has shown ambivalence over how much China
and its financially-weak state industries will benefit
from the foreign competition that W-T-O membership
would bring. (signed)
NEB/HO/PLM
10-Nov-1999 07:24 AM EDT (10-Nov-1999 1224 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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