WASHINGTON - China
has made remarkable progress in opening its
economy since it joined the World Trade
Organization (WTO) five years ago, said former US
trade representative Charlene Barshefsky in an
exclusive interview.
"China's
implementation of WTO commitments has in general
been good, although there are several areas of
concern expressed by the US, the EU and others,"
said Barshefsky, one of the architects of China's
WTO agreement in 2001.
"Most notably, with
respect to intellectual-property protection,
with
respect to services-market opening, China is still
completing its commitments under the WTO," she
said.
These two areas, intellectual
property and services, are very important, she
said, adding: "There are quite visible signs of
China's implementation of its WTO commitments."
In view of its economic size, it is
increasingly important for China to do everything
it can to implement fully its WTO commitments,
Barshefsky said. But she said she also thinks "as
a general matter, China has made quite remarkable
progress in opening its economy, in welcoming
imports and in inviting foreign investments".
The fact that China had remade its
economy, as a spur to global growth, should not be
ignored, she said. Mentioning China's "very rapid,
very substantial, very consistent" economic
development, Barshefsky said, "China is no longer
a bystander in the world economy.
"It has
become an important hub in the global economy and
as such it takes on responsibilities beyond merely
its own economic development."
When asked
about trade disputes between China on the one hand
and the US or the European Union on the other,
Barshefsky said that she is "very much in favor of
negotiation".
"I am not in the position to
say whether China or the US fully explored all
possible negotiated solutions, or whether China or
Europe fully explored all possible negotiated
solutions. I certainly hope all sides did, because
that would [mean] better outcomes for everybody.
"Trade sanctions often do not solve
problems, but sometimes mutual cooperation can. So
every opportunity always has to be given to try to
find the negotiated solution before any further
steps are taken," noted the chief trade negotiator
and principal trade policymaker for the Untied
States from 1997 to 2001.
About the Doha
Round of global trade talks, Barshefsky said: "It
will be good to see Doha conclude in a positive
way. All countries have to be flexible."
Talking about the agriculture disputes
between developed and developing countries, the
trade expert said that subsidies by the US and
Europe to agriculture must come down
substantially. Export subsidies should be
eliminated and domestic subsidies should be cut
very dramatically.
"Unless that happens,
the trade effect for poorer countries will not be
particularly significant at all. And that will be
an unfortunate outcome for something called 'the
development round'," she said.
Recalling
the negotiation for China's entry to the WTO,
Barshefsky said, "China is a very, very tough
negotiating partner.
"China and the US
share a very important common characteristic, and
that is we are practical people," she said.
Because both the Chinese and American
people share this characteristic, she said, "we
are often able to overcome differences, even
political differences, by simply coming up with a
practical solution that benefited both sides".
"I think the Chinese side particularly
excelled at this, but the US side did as well. So,
even on complicated issues, we could find a
situation to come to agreement, and that really
led to the kind of historic outcome that was
achieved," she said.
Barshefsky said,
"Trade is the foundation of the US-China
relationship. It causes friction, of course, but
also great benefits for both countries.
"I
think the challenge for the US and China is to
learn how to cooperate in a meaningful way."
