Trade chief says mainland will gain from successful deal
Washington's top trade official has called on Beijing to help revive the stalled Doha round of trade talks and to make progress in meeting its WTO commitments, saying that China has a strong self-interest in open global markets.
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said in a speech in Beijing yesterday that Beijing had 'an unprecedented stake in the successful conclusion of a robust Doha agreement', which she said could only be possible 'with vigorous and positive Chinese participation'.
Ms Schwab said in a meeting with Commerce Minister Bo Xilai on Monday she had urged Beijing to play a role 'commensurate with its status as the third largest trading nation in the world'.
'It is my strong hope that China will carry out a clear-eyed assessment of the costs and benefits of a successful Doha round,' she said, 'and conclude that it is in China's long-term self-interest to play an active role in ensuring the round's ultimate success.'
The Doha round of World Trade Organisation trade talks was aimed at removing barriers to agricultural and industrial trade to help developing countries overcome poverty. But the talks broke down late last month when the US and the EU failed to reach a compromise on reducing trade barriers.
Ms Schwab said China was a member of the G-20 group of developing economies and also a part of the G-33 camp, which she said was seeking to protect agricultural production for subsistence farmers. She added that in both groups there were countries with trade interests markedly different from China's who were playing the leading roles.