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US pushes China on WTO compliance before summit

US trade officials yesterday praised China's ongoing efforts to implement WTO commitments, as they sought to clear up key trade issues ahead of an upcoming presidential summit next month in the US.

A delegation led by Deputy US Trade Representative Jon Huntsman was in Beijing to prepare for the Texas summit between US President George W. Bush and Chinese President Jiang Zemin

(江澤民).

"In essence we are here to clear up some of the underbrush in our bilateral economic relationship before the Crawford summit on October 25," Huntsman said.

"Our discussions were very productive and there were some important assurances that we received along the way," he said.

During the talks, the US raised trade concerns in the areas of bio-tech regulations, tariffs and foreign access to China's insurance market and express delivery services, he said.

On express delivery services, China had agreed to remove weight and rate regulations placed on foreign operators in China such as United Parcel Service and Federal Express.

China also agreed to look into US concerns that the state-run China Post was both regulating and competing with foreign companies.

The US also raised the issue of high capitalization requirements for foreign insurance companies hoping to open branches in China, with the Chinese remaining receptive to proposals to bring such requirements more in line with international practices, he said.

China further pledged to reveal in the coming weeks permanent regulations on the import of genetically modified foods, in a manner that would not disrupt the US' billion dollar annual export of soy beans to China.

During its meetings with Vice Premier Li Lanqing (李嵐清), vice trade minister Long Yongtu (龍永圖) and vice foreign minister Li Zhaoxing (李肇星), the US delegation also sought areas of cooperation with China on global trade issues, including in the Doha round of WTO trade liberalization talks.

The US side also proposed regular meetings between the trade representative's office and China's trade ministry on WTO implementation issues following China's December 2001 entry into the trade organization.

"I think there is a consistent pattern of China trying to put forth its very best efforts in resolving some of these WTO issues," Huntsmen said.

"There is every reason to be hopeful, the backdrop to everything is that there seems to be good will on both sides to work out these issues as we encounter them."
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