02 September 1999
(Deputy USTR Fisher: meeting likely next week in Beijing) (430) By Steve La Rocque USIA Staff Writer Washington -- China says it wants to have a "technical level review" with the United States regarding its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Deputy U.S. Trade Representative for Asia, Latin America, and Canada Richard Fisher said in a September 2 press roundtable. The USTR official said such a "stock taking" meeting could take place the week of September 6, "most likely in Beijing," but added that the discussion could also take place in Auckland, New Zealand, the site of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial and Economic Leaders meetings. China's request came after an exchange of messages with the United States, which is leading the WTO group considering whether China has made the necessary reforms in its trade policies to qualify it for membership in the WTO. Fisher declined to say who would make up the U.S. side to review the WTO accession process to date, but said that the Sino-U.S. discussions would be at "the expert level." Fisher also identified Robert Cassidy, assistant U.S. Trade Representative for China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mongolia, as the USTR's "expert." Fisher stressed that the meeting in either Beijing or Auckland would be one to review efforts to date, not a negotiation. He added that the technical review would be the first discussion between USTR officials and their Chinese counterparts "since the end of April." At that time, China and the United States had made significant progress toward accession including a market access package on agriculture, industrial goods, and services. However, some important issues, including in financial services, remain unresolved. After the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, accession talks were put on hold. As in all accessions, conclusion depends on China meeting the concerns of other WTO members as well. Fisher rejected the suggestion that Beijing has delayed WTO accession talks in an attempt to limit the amount of concessions it would have to make to the United States. "That kind of tactic won't work," Fisher stressed. "I've never seen a better negotiator than Ambassador Barshefsky," he said, noting that she has been involved in the issue of China and the WTO for six years. The United States "will only accept a good deal," he said. "We'll only accept a commercially feasible, commercially meaningful agreement" -- one that can be "accepted by the United States Congress."