RESTRICTED

(94-1824)

Original: English

WORKING PARTY ON CHINA'S STATUS AS A CONTRACTING PARTY

Communication from China

The following communication, dated 31 August 1994, has been received from the Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China with the request that it be circulated to members of the Working Party.

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Taking into account the prescription in the Ministerial Decision on Acceptance of and Accession to the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization that any signatory of the Final Act to which paragraph 5 of the Final Act applies may submit to the Preparatory Committee for its examination and approval a schedule of concessions and commitments to GATT 1994 and a schedule of specific commitments to the GATS, I have the pleasure to forward to the Working Party our improved schedules of tariff concessions on non-agriculture and agriculture products and specific commitments on services. It would be highly appreciated if our submissions^* could be promptly circulated to the members of the Working Party.^**

I would like to take this opportunity to point out that the improved schedules are the maximum offers we are able to make for a prompt conclusion of the negotiation of resumption of China's GATT contracting party status and becoming an original Member of the WTO. The members of the Working Party are invited to discuss the offers for possible technical improvements. Meanwhile, we maintain that the drafting process of the Protocol on China should be intensified so as to make progress in parallel with the discussion on our offers.