2002年9月WTO对澳大利亚贸易政策审议-中国代表团的发言(英文)
Statement of the Chinese Delegation
at the WTO Trade Policy Review of Australia
September 23, 2002
Thank you, Madam Chair,
China would like to join others in welcoming Australian delegation to Geneva for the 4th TPR on Australia. And I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Secretariat and the Government of Australia for their efforts and work done in preparation for this review. The TPR report prepared by the Secretariat presented us with a substantive and detailed picture on Australia’s overall economic environment and trade policy for the four years under review. The analysis made in the report has largely reflected the objective state of affairs of Australia in this regard.
Since its last review in 1998, we are glad to see that Australia has successfully weathered the Asian financial crisis and performed impressively in economic development and trade growth thanks to its sound macroeconomic policies and far-reaching structural reforms. The positive momentum has been maintained well despite of the adverse effects of global economic slowdown. We would like to take this opportunity to commend our Australia colleagues on their impressive achievements.
Madam Chair, in the past years, bilateral trade between China and Australia has been going on well and steadily. While bilateral trade volume in 1972, when China established diplomatic relationship with Australia, was only 86 million dollars, it reached 8.997 billion dollars in 2001. The year 2002 is the 30th anniversary of Sino-Australian diplomatic relationship. It is our belief that with our joint efforts, bilateral relations between our two countries will be further strengthened in the coming years.
Aside from all the above, Madam Chair, the Chinese delegation would also like to point out that there exists in Australian trade regime policies that deserve our concern.
Although the report by the Secretariat points out that the average applied MFN tariff rate has been lowered to 4.3% from the level of 5.6% in 1998, tariff peaks still exist in Australia, particularly in those sectors that are of export interests for developing countries including China. China takes note that Australia is applying high tariff rate to textile, clothing and shoes, of which China is a major exporter in the world. We would therefore like to request that Australia reduce high tariff rates in these sectors.
Madam Chair, while recognizing Australia’s right to take necessary measures to achieve its legitimate SPS and TBT objectives, China would also like to echo the views and concerns expressed by some other delegations that Australia’s SPS and TBT requirements, in many cases, are unnecessarily strict and impose great burdens for exporters. We would like to urge Australia to reassess the necessity of such requirements and take active steps to eliminate the negative effects of these requirements on trade.
Madam Chair, apart from the issues mentioned-above, my delegation has also some other concerns which we have conveyed to our Australian colleagues, although they were not raised as formal written questions in this TPR framework. My delegation looks forward to working with our Australian colleagues both in the bilateral and multilateral framework, with the view to further strengthening the economic and trade relations between our two countries.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
at the WTO Trade Policy Review of Australia
September 23, 2002
Thank you, Madam Chair,
China would like to join others in welcoming Australian delegation to Geneva for the 4th TPR on Australia. And I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Secretariat and the Government of Australia for their efforts and work done in preparation for this review. The TPR report prepared by the Secretariat presented us with a substantive and detailed picture on Australia’s overall economic environment and trade policy for the four years under review. The analysis made in the report has largely reflected the objective state of affairs of Australia in this regard.
Since its last review in 1998, we are glad to see that Australia has successfully weathered the Asian financial crisis and performed impressively in economic development and trade growth thanks to its sound macroeconomic policies and far-reaching structural reforms. The positive momentum has been maintained well despite of the adverse effects of global economic slowdown. We would like to take this opportunity to commend our Australia colleagues on their impressive achievements.
Madam Chair, in the past years, bilateral trade between China and Australia has been going on well and steadily. While bilateral trade volume in 1972, when China established diplomatic relationship with Australia, was only 86 million dollars, it reached 8.997 billion dollars in 2001. The year 2002 is the 30th anniversary of Sino-Australian diplomatic relationship. It is our belief that with our joint efforts, bilateral relations between our two countries will be further strengthened in the coming years.
Aside from all the above, Madam Chair, the Chinese delegation would also like to point out that there exists in Australian trade regime policies that deserve our concern.
Although the report by the Secretariat points out that the average applied MFN tariff rate has been lowered to 4.3% from the level of 5.6% in 1998, tariff peaks still exist in Australia, particularly in those sectors that are of export interests for developing countries including China. China takes note that Australia is applying high tariff rate to textile, clothing and shoes, of which China is a major exporter in the world. We would therefore like to request that Australia reduce high tariff rates in these sectors.
Madam Chair, while recognizing Australia’s right to take necessary measures to achieve its legitimate SPS and TBT objectives, China would also like to echo the views and concerns expressed by some other delegations that Australia’s SPS and TBT requirements, in many cases, are unnecessarily strict and impose great burdens for exporters. We would like to urge Australia to reassess the necessity of such requirements and take active steps to eliminate the negative effects of these requirements on trade.
Madam Chair, apart from the issues mentioned-above, my delegation has also some other concerns which we have conveyed to our Australian colleagues, although they were not raised as formal written questions in this TPR framework. My delegation looks forward to working with our Australian colleagues both in the bilateral and multilateral framework, with the view to further strengthening the economic and trade relations between our two countries.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
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