World Trade Organization Director-General Mike Moore welcomed the announcement today in Shanghai of the China-U.S. agreement on the Chinese accession into the WTO.
Moore, who met with both Chinese Trade Minister Shi Guangsheng and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick in Shanghai during the ministerial meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, said he was impressed with the focus and determination shown by both ministers.
"This weekend's announcement clearly represents the push we needed to accelerate China's accession so that a decision on China's membership can be taken by our Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar, in November," Moore said.
"China's clear commitment to a rapid accession as well as its unequivocal support for launching a new round of multilateral trade negotiations bodes extremely well for the Doha Ministerial Conference and the future of the WTO."
Moore urged all participants in the China Accession Working Party to bridge remaining differences during their meeting June 28-July 4 in Geneva so that a decision on China's WTO membership can be taken this year.