APEC Summit in Shanghai
Twenty Asia Pacific leaders issued a final declaration at the end of the annual APEC summit. President Jiang Zemin who hosted the meeting said the main priority for the leaders is to reverse the current economic downturn by achieving sustained and broad-based growth although they expressed confidence for the region’s economy in the medium and long term.
Jiang Zemin: We agree that it is particularly important for major economies to act quickly and decisively to 3)stabilize the market.
Mr. Jiang added that the leaders supported a new round of global trade talks while stressing that China’s 4)imminent accession to the World Trade Organization would help 5)strengthen economic cooperation worldwide. And the so-called Shanghai Accord is to lay the foundation for future APEC development in coming years. The leaders also condemned last month’s terrorist attacks on the United States.
THREE Steps of China’s 6)Accession to WTO
10th of November
World Trade Organization ministers are expected to formally approve China’s entry into the global body later tonight. Ministers have also begun negotiations in a bid to reach agreements on a new round of trade talks.
WTO ministers began their meeting in the Qatari capital Doha trying to resolve their differences to launch a new round of global trade talks which they failed to achieve two years ago in Seattle. Developing countries want to ensure that they will not be victimized by the move towards globalization.
The prospects of an agreement received a 7)boost after China’s chief WTO negotiator said the key stumbling block of agricultural 8)subsidies has been resolved. WTO ministers are also expected to agree on an historic decision to welcome China into the trade body tonight.
11th of November
There’s been a generally favorable response to China joining the Wor