Agence France Presse
GENEVA, March 29 (AFP) - China could join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) by year end if it strikes an accord with the European Union in coming days and if other details are hammered out, trade sources said.
A WTO multilateral working group which met here last week to discuss China's accession bid into the world trade body, including Beijing's chief negotiator, Long Yongtu, claimed some progress in the lengthy application process. The group met for the first time in 1987.
And speaking Wednesday in Brussels, WTO Director General Mike Moore also indicated China's membership could be completed between now and the end of the year.
Joining the WTO is a process that proceeds on two parallel tracks: multilateral and bilateral. A multilateral working group draws up a membership protocol, including an outline on the timetable for the process.
The group also oversees the talks Beijing must hold with other members and ensures that all aspects of China's trade policy are taken into account.
Consideration also must be given to aspects other than access to markets, such as those regarding intellectual property and services.
Bilaterally China is well on its way to membership, having concluded accords with 27 WTO countries, including the United States. The US accord requires ratification by Congress.
However, 13 of these countries have not submitted their signed accords to the WTO secretariat for technical reasons and for extra verification.
In addition to the EU, China still needs agreements with Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Kirghizstan and Switzerland.
Yongtu has said that in most of these cases, negotiations are in the advanced stages. In effect, an accord with the EU would unblock final negotiations with all these countries.
The working group will also have to "multilateralise" all the bilateral accords agreed, extending all concessions to all 135 WTO member states. Ninety-eight of them chose not to open direct talks with Beijing.
The working group then will formulate the membership protocol, its annexes and present its report to the WTO's executive General Council.
After that, the protocol would face ratification by the Chinese parliament.:
