GATT/AIR/3399 19 FEBRUARY 1993

SUBJECT: WORKING PARTY ON CHINA'S STATUS AS A CONTRACTING PARTY

1. THE NEXT MEETING OF THE WORKING PARTY ON CHINA'S STATUS AS A CONTRACTING PARTY WILL TAKE PLACE ON 15 AND 16 MARCH 1993 AND WILL CONTINUE IF NECESSARY ON 17 MARCH. THE MEETING WILL COMMENCE AT 3 P.M. ON 15 MARCH IN THE CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD, 154, RUE DE LAUSANNE, GENEVA.

2. THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IS:

A. TO GIVE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK FURTHER CLARIFICATIONS FROM CHINA ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ITS ECONOMIC AND FOREIGN TRADE REGIME. IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE DISCUSSION OF THIS AGENDA ITEM BE STRUCTURED AS FOLLOWS: (1) GENERAL STATEMENTS; (2) AGRICULTURE; (3) PRICING POLICIES; (4) FOREIGN EXCHANGE ALLOCATION; (5) UNIFORM APPLICATION OF THE TRADE REGIME, WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES AND SIMILAR AREAS; (6) ENTERPRISE AUTONOMY AND THE RIGHT OF ENTERPRISES TO ENGAGE IN FOREIGN TRADE; (7) COMMODITY INSPECTION, STANDARDS AND QUALITY CONTROL; AND (8) ANY OTHER MATTER; AND

B. TO CONTINUE CONSIDERATION OF THE ISSUES TO BE DEALT WITH IN RESPECT OF CHINA'S STATUS AS A CONTRACTING PARTY. IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE DISCUSSION OF THIS AGENDA ITEM BE BASED ON THE DRAFT NON-PAPER ENTITLED "PRELIMINARY CONSOLIDATED LIST OF ISSUES", A REVISED VERSION OF WHICH WILL BE CIRCULATED SHORTLY TO MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY.

3. MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY, AND OTHER CONTRACTING PARTIES, ASSOCIATED GOVERNMENTS AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WISHING TO BE REPRESENTED AS OBSERVERS, ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OF THE NAMES OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES.

A. DUNKEL

93-0234