DATE=11/14/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-W-T-O (L)
NUMBER=2-256140
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S and Chinese negotiators Sunday continued
round-the-clock efforts to hammer out a deal on
Beijing's bid to join the World Trade Organization.
V-O-A's Stephanie Ho reports the talks regained
impetus after an eleventh hour intervention by Chinese
Premier Zhu Rongji Saturday.
TEXT: A night of rain in Beijing turned into blue
skies Sunday, but the clearing-up of the weather was
not reflected in any positive results in the ongoing
W-T-O talks between American and Chinese negotiators.
U-S Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky had
another busy day -- as she dashed from her hotel to
the Chinese Foreign Trade Ministry to the U-S Embassy.
Despite the flurry of last-minute activity, though,
neither side would say what progress has been made and
what are the remaining stumbling blocks.
Ms. Barshefsky's team had been due to leave Saturday,
after she reported no progress and said time is
running out. But, instead, she was granted a last-
minute meeting with Chinese premier Zhu - which her
spokeswoman described as a good and substantive
session.
Afterwards, trade negotiators from both sides worked
deep into the early hours of Sunday morning to try to
hammer out a deal. The goal is for China to join the
W-T-O before the organization launches a new round of
global trade talks at the end of this month.
Ms. Barshefsky's hastily-arranged talks with Chinese
Foreign Trade Minister Shi Guangsheng started
Wednesday and were originally-scheduled for only two
days. Sunday is day-five in a process that the U-S
team is apparently taking day-by-day.
Analysts have said some of the disagreements include
greater access for foreign companies to China's
telecommunications and financial services markets.
They say U-S negotiators also want China to submit to
textile quotas and anti-dumping measures.
When Premier Zhu went to Washington in April, he made
broad concessions in a W-T-O offer that was eventually
rejected by President Clinton. Since then, and
especially after NATO bombs destroyed China's embassy
in Yugoslavia in May, Chinese officials have said they
do not agree to all of those concessions.
Meantime, the Chinese also have repeatedly demanded
that China be admitted as a developing country, which
means it would be subject to more lenient terms than
an industrialized country.
The official China Daily weekly business edition
Sunday said China is willing to join the W-T-O, but
not at the expense of national interest. (signed)
NEB/HO/PLM
14-Nov-1999 06:37 AM EDT (14-Nov-1999 1137 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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