The mainland and the United States have made 'important progress' on World Trade Organisation entry talks, according to US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky.
'On this trip we have made important progress in the overall negotiations and we have made good progress in each of the [key] areas,' she said yesterday referring to goods, services and agriculture.
Though she warned that obstacles remained Ms Barshefsky said that Premier Zhu Rongji's visit to the US next month and the new round of global trade negotiations scheduled for Seattle in December provided Beijing with a 'pivotal opportunity' to reach agreement on gaining admission to the WTO.
She ruled out any kind of special treatment or any kind of half-way house to WTO membership for Beijing.
'There is no mini-package, no sweetheart deal, there is no such thing as special observer status and no such status will be created,' she said.
Ms Barshefsky repeatedly stressed that the mainland's entry could take place only on what the US saw as commercially viable terms and ruled out 'a political accession'.
Significant gaps remained in their respective negotiating positions and a number of areas had not yet been dealt with in sufficient detail to move forward, she said.
