DATE=9/9/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=APEC - CHINA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253680
BYLINE=AMY BICKERS
DATELINE=AUCKLAND,NEW ZEALAND
CONTENT=


VOICED AT:

Intro:  On the fringes of an economic summit in New 
Zealand, top trade  officials from the United States 
and China have agreed to reopen suspended talks on 
Beijing's bid for World Trade Organisation membership. 
As Amy Bickers reports from Auckland ministers of 21 
Asia-Pacific countries, including the United States 
and China, are meeing Friday to agree on a framework 
for negotiations on freeing world markets.



Text:  The United States and China are jumpstarting 
talks on China's wish to join the World Trade 
Organisation. U-S Trade Representative Charlene 
Barshefsky met with her Chinese counterpart Shi 
(prono: sure) Guangsheng Thursday at the Apec forum in 
New Zealand and said that their talks underscored the 
desire  to re-engage in substantive discussion.

Earlier Ms. Barshefsky told reporters that the United 
States hoped to bring China into the 134-member trade 
body on "commercially meaningful terms."

            /// BARSHEVSKY ACTUALITY ///

      We have always supported accesion on the 
      earliest practicable basis, provided the 
      accessions, whether China's, Taiwan's or the 
      former Soviet Republics are on commerically 
      meaningful terms. We have said a number of times 
      that the WTO is not a political institution. It 
      is very much a dollars and sense insitution 
      under which member make market opening 
      commitments of essentially a contractual nature.


            /// END ACT ///

Ties between Beijing and Washington have been strained 
because of NATO's mistakenly bombing in May of the 
Chinese embassy in Belgrade. Dialogue was suspended on  
a number of issues, and WTO negotiations involving 
China were brought to a standstill.

Ms. Barshefsky says the United States and China have 
not agreed on a specific timeline to work through 
their differences but says that both sides will work 
to resolve issues in a mutually agreeable manor.

            /// BARSHEVSKY ACTUALITY ///

      I think it is important that the United States 
      and China begin talking again. As you know 
      relations over the last four months have been 
      difficult.  So first and foremost rengagement 
      between the United States and China on a full 
      range of issues is terribly important and would 
      in and of itself constitute a significant 
      outcome.


            /// END ACT ///

The meeting between the two trade officials, as well 
as a Thursday meeting between U-S Secretary of State 
Madeleine Albright and her Chinese counterpart, are 
creating a positive tone for talks Saturday between 
U.S. President Bill Clinton and Chinese President 
Jiang Zemin.

Meanwhile, ministers from 21 Asia-Pacific economies 
are spending Friday in discussions to reach a common 
position for the upcoming round of global trade talks. 
They are hoping to be able to set the agenda for talks 
taking place in Seattle (Washington State)in November 
under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation. 
(Signed)



NEB/PT

 


09-Sep-1999 22:17 PM LOC (10-Sep-1999 0217 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.