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| U.S. and China Reach Consensus on China's Accession to WTO | |
| Contact: Richard Mills (202) 395-3230 | 06/09/2001 |
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WASHINGTON – The Office of the United States Trade Representative has today announced that after 14 years of negotiations, the United States and China have reached consensus on remaining bilateral concerns related to China's WTO accession, indicating that both countries plan to work together in Geneva to complete China's WTO accession. In addition, both countries will work closely with other WTO members to build on the consensus reached by the United States and China this past week in Shanghai. "This understanding is a win-win result for China and the U.S. It should help us and the other nations of the WTO to try to complete China's accession this year," said U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick. "China is clearly on the way into the WTO, and a strong supporter of the new WTO round. In addition this progress should add momentum to our efforts to launch a new global round of trade negotiations in Doha this November." "I am pleased to build on the accomplishments of my predecessor, Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, who worked for many months to achieve the bilateral accord in November 1999," Zoellick said. The U.S.-China bilateral negotiations were held during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade, held in Shanghai. Issues discussed between the United States and China were: domestic support for agriculture; many services, such as distribution and retail business; and, trading rights. |