Chinese call to link APEC support with GATT rejected<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON (AFP): The United States rejected Wednesday efforts
\nby China to link its support for the U.S.-backed development of
\nan Asia-Pacific regional free trade area to rapid admission for
\nBeijing to GATT.<\/p>\n
The United States favors setting a target date for an Asia-
\nPacific free trade area when leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic
\nCooperation (APEC) forum meet in Bogor, Indonesia next month.<\/p>\n
But China is reticent towards the idea, and has reportedly
\nlinked its support for a target date to full U.S. support for its
\naccession to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.<\/p>\n
"I do know that they have attempted to link this (APEC free
\ntrade) to their admission to the GATT and WTO (World Trade
\nOrganization)," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian
\nand Pacific Affairs Winston Lord said.<\/p>\n
"I don't think that should be linked with the Bogor
\ndeclaration issue."<\/p>\n
U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor denied earlier
\nWednesday that China was trying to link the two issues, saying
\n"the Chinese have not said that to us."<\/p>\n
Both Kantor and Lord expressed optimism that the APEC leaders
\nwould agree to set a target date for economic liberalization
\ndespite the current opposition from China and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Once China understood what was being talked about, Lord said,
\nhe hoped Beijing would "see this as a political decision" rather
\nthan signing on to an airtight detailed package and would agree
\nto the idea.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is also known to be resisting the idea, but both Lord
\nand Kantor said they believed Japan was on board, despite reports
\nthat Tokyo had urged hosts Indonesia to remove any target date
\nfrom the leaders' declaration.<\/p>\n
"Every contact we have had with the Japanese in recent weeks
\nsuggest their strong approval," Lord said.<\/p>\n
Kantor meanwhile said that "the indications that we have are
\nthat Japan will go along" with the target date.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chinese-call-to-link-apec-support-with-gatt-rejected-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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