Anchor: China is willing to work with other parties to try to revive the Doha Round of global trade negotiations. Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai made the remarks during a meeting with US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, who is in China for her first visit. The US representative calls on China to play a bigger role in helping restart the suspended Doha round of trade talks. Our reporter Xiaoyu has the details.
 Reporter: Spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce Chong Quan has reiterated Minister Bo Xilai's remark and calls for developed countries to make the first move.
“Minister Bo Xilai says that reviving the talks, which aim to build fair and just multilateral trade systems, is in the interest of the majority of WTO members. As the Doha talks focus on the development of global trade, developed countries should make substantial contributions first with the aim to revive the talks.”
The Doha Development Round talks collapsed last month when five years of lengthy talks failed to resolve disputes over farm tariffs and subsidies among key participants, namely the US, EU, Japan, Australia, India and Brazil.
Susan Schwab says the United States is willing to rekindle the Doha talks. Before concluding her China tour, she emphasizes that, as an important member of the WTO and a major beneficiary of the multilateral trade system, China should play a bigger role in the Doha Round.
“We agree that we are experiencing a historic era in global commerce and that China will be a key actor. Indeed it’s my firm belief, which I shared with Minister Bo, that China has an unprecedented stake in the successful conclusion of a robust Doha agreement and a successful Doha round will only be possible with vigorous and positive Chinese participation.”
During Monday’s meeting, the two counterparts also discussed issues including China’s efforts in protecting intellectual property rights and US export controls, as well as cooperation in tourism and quarantine services.
The two parties have agreed that solving these issues will inject new impetus into Sino-US trade relations and solidify bilateral trade ties.
Xiaoyu, CRI news
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