By Moyette Gibbons
Geneva, Nov. 7 (Bloomberg) -- China has moved closer to joiningthe World Trade Organization after a ``breakthrough'' in talks on severaldisputed issues, a WTO spokesman said.
The U.S., the European Union, Japan and other WTO nations areclose to agreeing to a draft accession text with China on the creation ofa transitional review mechanism to monitor how Beijing complies with WTO rules,WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell said.
Negotiators in Geneva also made ``significant progress'' onintellectual property rights after China submitted plans for legislation enforcingprotection of copyrights and patents, Rockwell said. In addition, China agreedto a judicial review in which foreign companies facing problems doing businessin the country can get redress locally.
``The progress that has been made over the last day and a halfcan be categorized as a very important breakthrough,'' Rockwell said inan interview. ``But it's important to remember that nothing is agreed untileverything is agreed.''
While an accord is close on four of the 11 legal issues that willform the basis of China's accession terms, difficulties remain in areas such assubsidies, agriculture and industrial policy, officials said.
`Steady Progress'
Those issues are likely to be taken up at another meeting of theWTO's working party on China, rather than in talks that will continue tomorrowand Thursday.
``It appears we're making steady progress, and we're going tokeep at it,'' said Brendan Daly, a spokesman for U.S. Trade Representative CharleneBarshefsky.
China's 14-year effort to join the WTO ground to a halt inSeptember, stalled by disputes over the country's willingness to guarantee foreigncompanies market access and deliver on pledges it made in exchange for membership.
The impasse prompted Barshefsky and EU leaders to hold talks withChinese Premier Zhu Rongji last month. The EU said Oct. 27 it settled itsoutstanding differences with China over insurance licenses and distributionrights, boosting the chances of the country joining the WTO this year or in early2001.
China can't join until the WTO drafts a final agreement thatcombines the terms Beijing agreed to in its individual accords with membercountries. The world's most populous nation also must seal a bilateral agreement withMexico.
Daly said he expects more work will be needed beyond this week'stalks to complete the accession agreement.:
