Statement by H.E. Minister SHI Guangsheng, Head of the Chinese Delegation,
at the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the WTO
Mr, Chairman,
After 15 years of difficult negotiations, we finally came to this historical moment. Hereby, on behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to appreciate the WTO Ministerial Conference for its adoption of the Decision on China's Accession to the WTO. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank all WTO Members and Mr. Girard, Chairman of the Working Party on China, for your support for China's accession over the years. My gratitude also goes to Mr. Mike Moore, Director-General of the WTO, to the former Director-Generals of GATT and the WTO, Mr. Dunkel, Mr. Sutherland and Mr. Ruggiero who have given their support and assistance in the past 15 years.
The WTO accession and its full participation in the multilateral trading system are strategic decisions made by the Chinese leaders under accelerated economic globalization. China has made longstanding and unremitting efforts for resuming its GATT Contracting Party status and for acceding to the WTO, which fully demonstrates the resolve and confidence of China to deepen its reform and to open further to the outside world. The WTO accession is not only in the interests of China, but also in the interests of all WTO Members and conducive to the development of the multilateral trading system. It will inevitably exert widespread and far-reaching impact on China's economy and on the world economy in the new century. After its accession, China will, on the basis of the balance between rights and obligations, abide by the WTO rules and honor its commitments while enjoying its rights. China will, as always, value and strengthen equal and mutually beneficial economic and trade relations with countries and regions in the world, and play an active and constructive role in the multilateral trading system and make its positive contribution to the progress of world economy and trade together with other WTO Members.
Mr. Chairman,
China first participated in the Uruguay Round Negotiations in September 1986 and witnessed the historical transformation of the multilateral trading system from GATT to the WTO. Meanwhile, China's negotiations for the accession to the multilateral trading system over the past 15 years have been an integral part of the process of its reform and opening up from the beginning to the end. We have drawn the following three basic conclusions from our own experiences:
First, only by participating in the multilateral trading system with a positive stance, can various countries in the world better share the benefits of economic globalization;
Second, during the course of economic globalization, only by establishing an economic and trade regime in line with international practices and the specific situation of the country, can they avoid their disadvantages and fully play out advantages, and therefore electively safeguard their respective economic security while opening to the outside world; and
Third, only by constantly adapting itself to the development and changes of world economy and by fully reflecting the interests and requirements of all parties including developing countries, can the multilateral trading system maintain its vigor and vitality.
Mr. Chairman,
The road from Seattle to Doha is by no means an easy path, which has generated profound thoughts and enlightenment. The Seattle Conference two years ago failed to launch the new round of multilateral trade negotiations. We believe that in face of the rapid development of economic globalization of today, we should follow the development of the situation and to jointly formulate relevant rules through consultations on an equal footing among Members and to carry out effective coordination and management over the ever widened and complicated international economic and trade activities.
Therefore, we need to face up to the obvious defects of the existing multilateral trading system so as to reflect the interests and demands of developing countries in a more adequate fashion. We need to invite all Members to formulate the international trade rules of the new century through equal participation and consultation, so as to enable more developing countries to share the opportunities and interests brought about by the economic globalization and to avoid the further widening of the gap between rich and poor and protect some countries against being marginalized.
Mr. Chairman,
China supports the launch of a new round of multilateral trade negotiations on the basis of full consideration of the interests and reasonable requirements of developing countries. China believes that a new round should be conducive, first, to the establishment of a fair, just and reasonable international economic new order; second, to the development of world economy as well as trade and investment facilitation; and third, to the achievement of a balance of interests between developed countries and developing countries.
We believe that to achieve the above goals, we need to ensure that in the new round,
Full consideration be given to the development level of relevant industries of developing countries and special treatment be rendered to the extent and speed of their opening;
Pragmatic and effective measures be adopted to guarantee the implementation of the Uruguay Round agreements;
All-round and effective participation of developing members be guaranteed and both the identification of topics and the negotiations be based on consultation on an equal footing; and
A balanced and package approach be taken to ensure that the results of the negotiations reflect an overall balance of the interests of various parties.
Mr. Chairman,
The new century is full of opportunities and challenges. Let us work together to meet these challenges, and to consolidate and strengthen the multilateral trading system and to make continued contributions to the stability and development of world economy and trade.
In conclusion, please allow me, on behalf of the Chinese government, to express our appreciation to the Qatari government for its hard work for the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the WTO.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
主
在經(jīng)歷了長達(dá)15年的艱苦談判之后,我們終于迎來了這一歷史性時(shí)刻。在此,我代表中國政府對WTO部長級會(huì)議作出關(guān)于中國加入WTO的決定表示感謝。借此機(jī)會(huì),請?jiān)试S我對長期以來支持中國加入WTO的所有成員和中國工作組主席
加入WTO和全面參與多邊貿(mào)易體制,是中國領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人在經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化進(jìn)程加快的形勢下作出的戰(zhàn)略決策。中國為復(fù)關(guān)和加入
WTO作出了長期不懈的努力,這充分表明了中國深化改革和擴(kuò)大開放的決心和信心。加入WTO不僅有利于中國,而且有利于所有WTO成員、有助于多邊貿(mào)易體制的發(fā)展。它必將對新世紀(jì)的中國經(jīng)濟(jì)和世界經(jīng)濟(jì)產(chǎn)生廣泛和深遠(yuǎn)的影響。加入WTO以后,中國將在權(quán)利與義務(wù)平衡的基礎(chǔ)上,在享受權(quán)利的同時(shí),遵守WTO規(guī)則,履行自己的承諾。中國將一如既往地重視和加強(qiáng)同世界各國、各地區(qū)發(fā)展平等、互利的經(jīng)貿(mào)關(guān)系;在多邊貿(mào)易體制中發(fā)揮積極和建設(shè)性的作用,與其他WTO成員一道,為世界經(jīng)濟(jì)貿(mào)易的發(fā)展作出積極貢獻(xiàn)。
主
中國自1986年9月起就參加了烏拉圭回合談判,參與了多邊貿(mào)易體制由關(guān)貿(mào)總協(xié)定到世界貿(mào)易組織的歷史轉(zhuǎn)折。同時(shí),中國加入多邊貿(mào)易體制談判的15年歷史始終伴隨著中國實(shí)行改革開放的進(jìn)程。我們從自身的經(jīng)驗(yàn)中得出了三點(diǎn)基本結(jié)論:
第一,世界各國只有以積極的姿態(tài)參與多邊貿(mào)易體制,才能更好地分享經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化的好處;
第二,在經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化的進(jìn)程中,只有建立起與國際通行規(guī)則相適應(yīng)同時(shí)又符合本國實(shí)際情況的經(jīng)濟(jì)貿(mào)易管理體制,才能趨利避害,并在對外開放的同時(shí)有效地維護(hù)本國的經(jīng)濟(jì)安全;
第三,多邊貿(mào)易體制只有不斷適應(yīng)世界經(jīng)濟(jì)的發(fā)展和變化,
并充分反映包括廣大發(fā)展中國家在內(nèi)的各方利益和要求,才能保持生機(jī)和活力。
主
從西雅圖到多哈的道路并不平坦,給我們的思考和啟示是十分深刻的。兩年前的西雅圖會(huì)議沒有能夠啟動(dòng)新一輪多邊貿(mào)易談判。我們認(rèn)為,在經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化迅猛發(fā)展的今天,我們應(yīng)該順應(yīng)形勢的發(fā)展,通過各成員的平等協(xié)商,共同制訂有關(guān)規(guī)則,對日益廣泛和復(fù)雜的國際經(jīng)濟(jì)貿(mào)易活動(dòng)進(jìn)行有效的協(xié)調(diào)和管理。
因此,我們需要正視現(xiàn)行多邊貿(mào)易體制中存在的明顯缺陷,使多邊貿(mào)易體制更加充分地反映發(fā)展中國家的利益和要求,
并讓所有成員平等參與、相互協(xié)商,制訂新世紀(jì)的國際貿(mào)易規(guī)則,讓更多的發(fā)展中國家分享經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化帶來的機(jī)會(huì)和利益,避免貧富差距繼續(xù)擴(kuò)大,避免一部分國家被邊際化。
主
中國支持在充分考慮發(fā)展中國家的利益和合理要求的基礎(chǔ)上,發(fā)動(dòng)新一輪多邊貿(mào)易談判。中國主張,新一輪談判的目標(biāo)應(yīng)當(dāng)是:第一,有利于建立公平、公正和合理的國際經(jīng)濟(jì)新秩序;第二,有利于世界經(jīng)濟(jì)的發(fā)展和貿(mào)易投資便利化;第三,有利于發(fā)達(dá)國家和發(fā)展中國家利益的平衡。
為實(shí)現(xiàn)上述目標(biāo),我們認(rèn)為,在新一輪談判中:
必須充分考慮發(fā)展中國家相關(guān)產(chǎn)業(yè)的發(fā)展水平,在開放的程度和速度上給予特殊處理。
必須采取切實(shí)、有效的措施保證烏拉圭回合協(xié)議的實(shí)施。
必須保證發(fā)展中成員的全面和有效參與,議題的確定和談判必須在平等協(xié)商的基礎(chǔ)上進(jìn)行。
必須以平衡和一攬子的方式進(jìn)行談判,保障談判結(jié)果體現(xiàn)各方利益的總體平衡。
主
新的世紀(jì)充滿著機(jī)遇和挑戰(zhàn),讓我們共同合作,迎接挑戰(zhàn),使多邊貿(mào)易體制得到鞏固和加強(qiáng),為世界經(jīng)濟(jì)貿(mào)易的穩(wěn)定和發(fā)展不斷作出貢獻(xiàn)。
最后,請?jiān)试S我代表中國政府對卡塔爾政府為籌備WTO第四屆部長級會(huì)議所做的大量工作表示感謝。