Brazil will do all it can to facilitate China being recognized as a market economy, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said after winning pledges from counterpart Hu Jintao (
In his meetings with Hu on Monday, Lula said Brazil would "immediately set about handling issues concerning the recognition of China's status as a market economy," state media reported yesterday.
So far, New Zealand and Singapore have granted the status to China while preliminary discussions are underway with the US.
A public hearing is scheduled in Washington on June 3, although Beijing is unlikely to win the recognition from Washington it craves, experts say.
"For Brazil to recognize China's market economy status will enrich the bilateral strategic partnership and boost trade and economic cooperation between the two countries," Hu was cited as saying by the Xinhua news agency.
China's non-market economy status puts it at a serious disadvantage in anti-dumping investigations.
It means other countries can use prices of third-country markets as a benchmark to compare with domestic prices in determining whether Chinese products have been dumped or not.
Brazil and China -- two of the world's largest developing nations -- have already joined forces to launch the G20 group of developing nations that brought WTO talks in Cancun, Mexico, to a standstill over demands that rich countries eliminate farm subsidies.
In a joint communique, Hu and Lula agreed that global multi-polarization was "a fundamental element in meeting global and regional threats and challenges and addressing disputes peacefully."
In the communique, the two leaders called for multilateral trade negotiations to put "priority" on the concerns of the developing world.
"On this ground, the two sides stress the core role of agricultural negotiation and the constructive role played by the 20 coordinating nations," it said.
They promised to strengthen coordination at the Doha round of trade negotiations to ensure results were "in line with the interests of all sides," especially the interests of the developing world.
Bilaterally, Lula has been keen to boost exports to China during his four-day trip to help Brazil's struggling economy, and agreements were signed to promote cooperation in health, commerce, science, agriculture, food safety and sports.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old