GENEVA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese delegation on
Monday dismissed as "groundless" the accusations made by some developed
countries regarding China's position in the ongoing Doha Round of trade talks
here.
The rebuttal came after some major developed countries said the current deadlock should be attributed to
China's demand for sheltering sensitive agriculture goods like cotton, rice and
sugar from deep tariff cut and its reservation over sectorial liberalization.
The Chinese have dismissed the charges as
"groundless."
Responding to the criticism, China's Commerce
Minister and head of its delegation to the Doha Round, Chen Deming, said major
developed countries were the biggest beneficiaries of the talks as they set
aside a large space for farm subsidies.
Developed countries need to fully understand the core
concerns of developing nations and should not hinder the settlement of these
problems, said Chen.
On industrial liberalization, he said the related
parties should abide by the principle of participation on willingness.
Many countries such as India, Indonesia, Venezuela
and Saudi Arabia have voiced support for the Chinese stance.
Ministers from over 30 major WTO member states have
been engaged in crucial trade talks here since last Monday, aimed at bridging
lingering divergences on farming and industrial sectors in a bid to wrap up the
long-stalled Doha Round this year.
WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy on Wednesday invited
ministers from China, the United States, the European Union, Japan, Australia,
India and Brazil to hold small-scale consultations.
Though convergence was observed in the past week of
talks, an agreement is still far from being reached as a series of disputes
remain unresolved and could undermine the perceived progress.
Chen appealed to all parties, especially the
developed countries, to assume responsibility and strive to seek a compromise
proposal acceptable to all.
The small-scale ministerial meeting was originally
scheduled to end Saturday, but it has been postponed until at least Tuesday or
Wednesday, due to sharp differences.
GENEVA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese delegation on Monday dismissed as "groundless" the accusations made by some developed countries regarding China's position in the ongoing Doha Round of trade talks here. Full story
GENEVA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Pascal Lamy is tabling a new compromised text today to push for a deal on global trade talks, his spokesman said Monday. Full story
GENEVA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Negotiators from over 30 major members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) started their second week of bargaining Monday in a bid to salvage a global trade pact, but no deadline is in sight.Full story
