China, which became a member of the World Trade Organization a year ago, has made tremendous efforts to implement its commitments and is fully participating in the new round multilateral trade talks in its first year of membership, said Sun Zhenyu, Chinese Ambassador to the WTO.
On the occasion of the first anniversary of China's accession to the WTO, Sun said in an interview with Xinhua that China has revised a large quantity of domestic laws and regulations in order to integrate with the WTO rules, reduced tariffs and quotas, and opened service trade to WTO members in line with its commitments.
Sun said China's efforts and achievements in the past year have won wide recognition among the WTO members. Both the former WTO Director-General Mike Moore and Present Direct-General Supachai Panitchpakdi hold that China is a qualified and responsible member.
The Chinese ambassador said that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the new round multi-lateral trade negotiations.
Since last November, China has sent more than 50 negotiating groups to Geneva and participated in negotiations on various topics. On the agriculture issue, China has put forward its own proposals which attracted the attention of WTO members and the support from the developing members.
Sun said the relevant Chinese institutions are fully involved in the discussions and preparations on issues, such as the environment, which are likely to be discussed at the fifth WTO ministerial meeting in Mexico next year.
When asked about China's position on the new round of trade negotiations, the ambassador said that building a new multilateral trading system should help establish a balanced, fair and rational international economic order.
The trade system should be in favor of the development of the world economy, the facilitation of trade and investment, and the balance of interests between developed and developing countries.
Sun said the developed members should show sincerity in the negotiations on the issues of textile products and anti-dumping, and take actions to remove the trade barriers and improve the conditions of market access to developing members.
Sun also said that as a new member of the trade body, China is willing to listen to all kinds of constructive opinions in a bid to better integrate with the world trade system.
(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2002)
