Agence France Presse
BEIJING, May 24 - The timing of China's entry to the WTO is less important than ensuring that the foundations for its adherence are well-laid, the next World Trade Organisation (WTO) director general said Friday.
Addressing a seminar in Beijing, incoming WTO director general Supachai Panitchpakdi said China and its multilateral trading partners need to iron out the details of China's entry into the global trading body carefully.
"If China joins the WTO with a weak foundation ... then China will not be a helpful member of the WTO," he said.
Given that China's speedy entry into the global trade organisation now looks unlikely, with talks stalled over difficulties with agricultural subsidies, Supachai said China should take the time to ensure institutional reforms are in place to ensure a smooth adherence when it comes.
Hopes have dimmed that China would enter the WTO before a renewed debate on China's trading status among US lawmakers beginning June 3.
The previous US administration pushed through a vote to grant China permanent normal trading relations (PNTR) with the United States last year, but PNTR only applies once China enters the WTO, so the stage is set for another bruising debate on China-US trade relations this year.
"I see a lot of differences between the commitments (China has made) and the institutional reforms that China will have to put up," in order to comply with its WTO commitments, Supachai said.
"I want for China to join the WTO as a strong member who can comply with, if not with all, then with 95 percent or 99 percent of its commitments," he added.
China will have to throw open the doors of a wide variety of industries to greater foreign competition once the country joins the WTO, which will spark widespread lay-offs at the same time as creating new jobs, Supachai said.
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