[asia-apec 657] Conditional support for Apec "fast-track"

[ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)]

Conditional support for Apec "fast-track"
China Daily, 15 September 1998


Kuantan, Malaysia (Agencies via Xinhua) - China said yesterday it will open
trade in all sectors proposed by the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation
(Apec) forum for "fast-track" liberalisation but its support will be
partial and conditional.

"We are ready to participate in all nine sectors, but partially and
conditionally, on the basis of voluntaryism," Wang Yusheng, Chinese
ambassador to Apec, told a press conference.

He said Apec strongly emphasised the principle of voluntary participation.
He said the trade liberalisation package being discussed was called Early
Voluntary Sectoral Liberalisation (EVSL). "You must not forget that it is
voluntary," he said.

He said that Apec senior trade officials meeting in Kuantan were heading
towards a "credible agreement" on the nine industry sectors under
discussion.

Leaders from the 18 member economies of Apec agreed at last year's summit
to open trade in nine sectors on a fast track basis followed by another six
sectors at a later date.

This was to help accelerate the longer-term programme of making the
economies tariff free by 2010 for developed countries and 2020 for
developing countries.

Asked if a consensus was emerging on the nine sectors, Wang said: "It seems
to be gradually."

He said that to get co-operation from members in getting an agreement, they
had to recognise the diversity in the grouping and collectively set a
target.

He said decisions should be on the basis of Apec principles of flexibility,
gradualism and open regionalism.

"In the spirit of Apec approach, I am optimistic (of an agreement)," Wang
said.***