Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) Shi Guangsheng said here Tuesday that the stand of the Chinese government on its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) is "consistent and active."

Shi made the remark in a meeting with WTO Director-General Michael Moore, who is here as a special guest for the two-day APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade, due to open Wednesday.

Shi extended his gratitude to Moore and the WTO Secretariat for their support during China's WTO entry negotiations.

China's WTO entry talks have lasted for 15 years, and its stand on the issue "remains unchanged," Shi said.

He pointed out that this is "conducive to China's fundamental interests, to its reform and opening-up drive, to the construction of a socialist market economic system, and to its sustained economic growth."

China's entry will also benefit the rest of the world, and the improvement and construction of a global trade system, he said.

Shi stressed that China has its principles to stick to. "China can only enter the WTO in the capacity of a developing country,” he said.

He urged all WTO parties to understand that the delay of China' s accession into the WTO means the postponing of China’s implementation of its commitments made in relevant bilateral agreements. This would be a loss to the commercial communities of all the countries involved, he pointed out.

"China's entry at an early date will be in the interests of all sides," he said.

Shi also briefed Moore on China's active attitude towards the launching of a new round of WTO multilateral talks.

Moore told Shi that the timing of China's accession to the WTO and the launching of a new round of WTO talks are the two hottest topics among the WTO members. He said that he hoped that China’s WTO entry can be finalized before November, when the Fourth WTO Ministerial Meeting is due to be held.

(xinhua 06/05/2001)