Japan and China cite 'progress' at WTO talks<\/p>\n
BEIJING (AFP): Beijing and Tokyo negotiators have issued a
\njoint statement citing "substantive progress" in a just-ended
\nround of talks on China's accession to the World Trade
\nOrganization (WTO), the official Xinhua news agency said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
The two sides completed an overall framework agreement on
\nmarket access in goods trade during the negotiations -- held in
\nTokyo on Aug. 27 and Aug. 29 and here from Sept. 2 to Sept. 3 --
\nthe statement released on Thursday said.<\/p>\n
They agreed on tariff reductions and abolition of non-tariff
\nbarriers such as important quotas and vowed to speed up efforts
\nto reach a bilateral service trade agreement.<\/p>\n
The statement said the two countries are "satisfied to see
\nlarge, substantive progress in bilateral negotiations."<\/p>\n
Although the WTO talks were proceeding independently of
\nJapanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's current visit to
\nChina, the joint statement was approved during a meeting he held
\non Thursday with China's premier, Li Peng.<\/p>\n
Long Yongtu, the head Chinese negotiator, was quoted as saying
\nthat before China can join the WTO, it will not only have to
\nsuccessfully complete multilateral negotiations in Geneva, but
\nforge bilateral market-access agreements with each of its trading
\npartners.<\/p>\n
The agreement reached on Sino-Japanese goods trade is
\n"significant and will propel the process of multilateral
\nnegotiations" because Japan is China's biggest trade partner.<\/p>\n
He pledged that Beijing would take a flexible and practical
\napproach in continuing WTO talks with various countries.<\/p>\n
China is eager to join the global body as soon as possible,
\nbut members including the United States and European countries
\ncharge it must first open its economy more fully to foreign
\nbusinesses and imports.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/japan-and-china-cite-progress-at-wto-talks-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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