- Title: SWITZERLAND: CHINESE DELEGATES ARRIVE FOR WTO TALKS IN GENEVA.
- Date: 28th June 2001
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (JUNE 28, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: IDE OF WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION (WTO) BUILDING 0.04 2. GV/PAN: CHINESE DELEGATES ARRIVING AT ENTRANCE TO WTO BUILDING, OUT OF BUS AND WALKING UP STEPS TO GO INSIDE 1.15 3. GV: LIMOUSINES CARRYING CHIEF CHINESE NEGOTIATOR, LONG YONGTU SWEEPING UP TO ENTRANCE 0.17 4. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) LONG YONGTU (WHEN ASKED BY A REPORTER WHAT HE EXPECTS FROM TODAY), SAYING: "A good session, a good session (WHEN ASKED WHY) ... because we already have a comprehensive consensus with the United States and the European Union, so that creates very favourable conditions for this working party session." 0.40 5. CU: CLOSE UP OF SIGN SAYING 'OMC WTO' 0.42 6. CU: SOUNDBITE (English) LONG YONGTU SAYING: "Of course, we're going to take a very business-like attitude towards this session, because there's still a lot of work to do - such as 100 pages of legal documents to prepare - and, as the Chinese saying goes, you have to eat your meal one mouthful by one mouthful, so we are going to deal with the text one paragraph by one paragraph. So we are going to deal with this issue in a very serious manner, because we think the legal documents are very important. We have to be very careful and exact, and we are trying to be working very hard." 1.20 7. MCU: LONG YONGTU BEING ASKED ('DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FINISHED BY NOVEMBER IN TIME FOR QATAR?) 1.22 8. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) LONG YONGTU RESPONDS, SAYING: "This is what all the people are talking about, but for China, since we have been in this exercise for fifteen years, we are not worried about one month earlier or late. But, maybe politically for many WTO members, they think that if China becomes a member of WTO in the Doha meeting it would be desirable, because that would mean China would participate in the new Round -- if the new round is launched -- as a full member of the WTO and would contribute to the Round." 1.56 9. MV/PAN: REAR VIEW OF LONG YONGTU WALKING INSIDE BUILDING, FOLLOWED BY JOURNALISTS 2.02 10. GV: INTERIOR OF MEETING AND WIDE OF DELEGATES AROUND TABLE 2.04 11. MCU/CU: CLOSE UP OF LONG YONGTU WITH CHAIRMAN OF WTO MEETING, PAUL LOUIS GIRARD, TALKING TOGETHER/ CLOSE UP DOCUMENT ON TABLE (2 SHOTS) 2.10 12. CU: GIRARD OPENING MEETING 2.12 13. MCU: LONG YONGTU AND CHINESE DELEGATES 2.15 14. MCU: U.S. DELEGATE JEFFRREY BADER (WEARING YELLOW TIE) SITTING DOWN 2.17 15. MV: WIDE OF WTO MEETING AND DELEGATES 2.21 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th July 2001 13:00
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- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Reuters ID: LVA8UKP9YLF8MU6H0QF9AK5LUVX3
- Story Text: China and its trading partners have begun talks in
Switzerland that could clear the way for the world's most
populous country to enter the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
after a 15-year quest, officials said.
The home-stretch talks in Geneva, due to last until
July 4, follow the clinching of bilateral agreements with the
United States and European Union earlier this month, which
removed major hurdles.
Long Yongtu, China's veteran chief negotiator, was upbeat
at the start of the session on Thursday (June 28) morning,
telling reporters that major trading powers wanted China to
join the 141-member watchdog.
"We think we are going to have a good session," Long told
reporters, before going on to explain, "We already had a very
comprehensive consensus with the United States and European
Union, so that already creates very favourable conditions for
this working party session."
The five-day meeting is one of the last chances to clinch
an accession deal in time for approval at a trade ministers'
meeting in Doha, Qatar from November 9-13 which has been
called to launch a global liberalisation round.
WTO's Director-General Mike Moore said in an interview
with Reuters Television this week that China's entry was "very
close".
But the former New Zealand prime minister said it was
still uncertain whether China could be admitted in time for
the meeting in Doha. Getting China admitted ahead of Qatar was
"technically possible, but very difficult".
China's Long appeared sanguine: "For China, since we have
been waiting for 15 years, we are not worried about (being)
one month early or one month late," he said.
"But, maybe politically for many WTO members, they think
that, if China becomes a member of WTO in the Doha meeting, it
would be desirable, because that would mean China would
participate in the new Round -- if the new round is launched
-- as a full member of the WTO and would contribute to the
Round," he added.
China's delegation would study closely the legal texts
spelling out future access to its 1. 3 billion consumers,
according to Long.
"There are hundreds of pages of legal documents to
prepare. As the Chinese saying goes, 'You have to eat your
meal one mouthful by one mouthful.' We have to deal with the
text one paragraph by one paragraph."
Both the 15-member EU and United States had sought
stronger commitments from Beijing on access to Chinese markets
for insurance companies and trading firms, and on keeping down
production subsidies to China's farmers.
Those agreements have been widely seen as clearing the way
for completion of almost all detailed negotiations on the
terms of Chinese admission to the WTO.
Mexico, which has yet to conclude bilateral talks with
China, has said it will not block China's entry when the final
documents come before the WTO's General Council for approval.
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