BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese and European Union trade officials went into a second day of market-opening talks on Tuesday in a bid to surmount the biggest remaining obstacle to China's membership in the World Trade Organization.
As EU negotiators, led by European Commission trade official Hans-Friedrich Beseler, met again with a Chinese team headed by Vice Foreign Trade Minister Long Yongtu, Indian officials announced they had struck a deal with China.
India's Commerce and Industry Minister Murasoli Maran was to sign the deal with China's Minister of Foreign Trade Shi Guangsheng on Tuesday afternoon, a commercial counselor at the Indian embassy told Reuters.
Although only a minor trading partner, India was among key emerging economies that needed to complete a bilateral trade accord with China. The Indian official said the deal would help double bilateral trade in the next three years.
EU officials have refused all comment on their talks since they opened on Monday -- reflecting the delicate task of negotiators representing the diverse interests of 15 member states.
Third Day Of Talks Possible
EU sources say a third day of negotiations would be arranged if all goes well and EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy has said he is ready to jump on a plane to Beijing later in the week.
The EU is the most important WTO member yet to conclude a trade deal with China and there are hopeful signs that this round could break a deadlock that has lasted for more than 13 years.
Washington clinched a historic market-opening agreement with China last November, and U.S. officials are anxious for China to wrap up agreements with the EU and several other countries so they can quickly send the deal to Congress for a vote before anti-China sentiment sinks its prospects.
U.S. labor unions have launched a major campaign in a presidential year to shoot down China's entry.
Eu Priorities Cited
China must reach agreements with all WTO members before it can join the body that sets rules for global trade.
Premier Zhu Rongji told visiting WTO chief Mike Moore last week he hoped a deal would emerge from the Beijing talks.
Zhu and President Jiang Zemin have personal stakes in ensuring China's early membership, having pushed for it in the face of bitter opposition from government conservatives.
The Europeans were expected to press China to top some of the concessions made to the Americans in telecommunications and financial services, according to sources close to the talks.
In particular, the EU wants more operating licenses for European insurers.
China has granted business licenses to just 14 foreign insurers, including five U.S. firms and five European ones, but some U.S. firms hold more than one license.
They also have specific European issues to negotiate, for instance access for British gin and Scotch whisky, French cosmetics and Italian leather goods.
Although EU officials have said the U.S.-China market-opening pact had met 80 percent of European concerns, Brussels' message to Beijing is that the EU will not be a pushover now that China has a deal with the United States, its biggest trading partner.
In addition to the United States, Japan, Australia and Canada reached separate agreements with Beijing last year. Key emerging economies like Argentina, Thailand, Mexico, and Malaysia have still to complete their own accords with China.:
