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China plays active role in WTO talks: official

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-25 10:54

GENEVA -- China has always played an active role in the Doha Round of global trade talks, and it sincerely hopes the talks will have a successful conclusion, a senior Chinese trade official said here Thursday.

"Not only developed countries but also developing countries including China need the multilateral trade system," said Zhang Xiangchen, head of WTO affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

"Given its huge volume of imports and export, China has always made the multilateral trade system a priority of its trade policies," Zhang said.

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Trade and agricultural ministers from 35 WTO members have gathered in Geneva since Monday, trying to reach a breakthrough on agricultural trade and industrial market access, two key areas of the Doha Round trade opening talks.

Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming has actively participated in the negotiations, whether in the so-called Green Room meeting involving more than 30 ministers or in small group meetings attended only by seven key WTO members.

"The Chinese delegation came to Geneva with a desire to push forward the negotiations," Zhang said.

China has always tried to play a constructive role in the talks, because it wants an early solution to the agricultural and NAMA (non-agricultural market access) issues and it wants to see the talks a success, he said.

According to the official, China has never deliberately shunned the spotlight in the Doha Round negotiations, as some media reported.

Altogether, China has made more than 100 proposals in the Doha Round negotiations, either alone or through cooperation with other developing countries, he said.

China has also actively participated in WTO mini-ministerial meetings and other bilateral or multilateral consultations.

The country is really participating in a way that accords with its culture and philosophy to safeguard its interests, Zhang said.