Technical barriers established by foreign countries cost Chinese
exporters up to US$69.1 billion last year, said a report from the
Ministry of Commerce on Monday.
"The textile industry has been most affected by barriers, taking
up to 43 percent of the losses," said the report. "Exports of food,
poultry, wood products, electronic and machine products were also
greatly affected."
The report said the European Union and the United States had
taken the lead in setting high technical standards for Chinese
export products, followed by Japan and the Republic of Korea.
These countries usually added items to inspection and quarantine
lists or revised trade regulations on the grounds of environmental
protection, consumer health and other reasons, said the report.
Among 22 categories of Chinese export commodities, 18 had
encountered technical barriers in 2005, said the report.
Chinese export companies were learning to respond rapidly to
foreign technical barriers and improve competitiveness in exports,
but there was still a long way to go, said the report.
The government started to set up centers across the country this
year to analyze technical standards for foreign market access,
issuing regular reports for the government and industries.
Under WTO rules, every WTO member has the legitimate right to
question new trade regulations by other nations within 60 days of
the promulgation. However, the lack of assistance from technical
experts and the abstruseness of technical standards often frustrate
Chinese companies and prevent them from taking effective
action.
One hundred technical service centers are scheduled to be set up
by 2010 to cover more than half the country's export commodities,
according to the ministry.
(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2006)