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NOTICIAS: NOTICIAS 2001

Ginebra, 23 de julio de 2001

Meeting of the Working Party on the accession of China

Statement by H.E. Vice Minister LONG Yongtu, Head of the Chinese Delegation, at the seventeenth session of the Working Party on China

Mr. Chairman,

With the joint efforts made by the Working Party Members, we have concluded our preparations of the multilateral legal documents on China's accession to the WTO, which has established the foundation for the final approval of these documents at the 18th Session so as to conclude the protracted and painstaking negotiations of the Working Party on China in the past 14 years and four months. The completion of these documents marks yet another major and solid step in the process of China's WTO accession. We are satisfied with the outcome which has been a joint effort of all of us.

To reach agreement on substantive issues has never been an easy task. Neither is it easy to reflect the results of our negotiations in the past 15 years. In the review of the Draft Protocol, the Working Party Report as well as the annexes to the Draft Protocol, members of the Working Party have taken a conscientious and cooperative approach and the Secretariat has undertaken large amount of work. I appreciate the pragmatic and professional spirit of all the parties concerned.

Mr. Chairman,

I believe, at the final stage of the negotiations, what we need most is the spirit of cooperation and mutual trust. With regard to the individual remaining issue, it won't be difficult for us to find solutions if we could work in line with the commonly recognized WTO principles and practices. We are fully confident in this regard.

Mr. Chairman,

After this Session, we will bring back home the agreed documents up to almost 1,000 pages and will speed up our preparations on the implementation of the commitments therein. We would like to reiterate again that China will honor its commitments, since they are consistent with the results of our negotiations, consistent with the principles and sprits of the multilateral trading system and consistent with the need of China's reform and opening-up.

Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese delegation is now working closely with the Secretariat for the preparation of the draft goods and services schedules, which would be distributed by the end of this month. I hope that the Working Party members could make full use their time in the coming August to verify these documents.

We are looking forward to working with all of you at the 18th Session in September in a bid to finally accomplish the work to which we have devoted ourselves throughout these years.

Thank you.