EU Trade Commissioner Urges China to Demonstrate Leadership in Doha Round Talks

European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has called on China to take a leadership role in the global trade community, particularly in the Doha Round of talks. Mandelson made the appeal during his first visit to China in his current role, urging Chinese negotiators to engage in detailed discussions ahead of a ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December. The Doha Round talks have suffered setbacks, including the collapse of a ministerial meeting in Cancun in 2003, but a new framework for negotiations was agreed upon last August. Mandelson also called for China to ease restrictions on arms exports, which the US has opposed, and to adopt a cautious approach to the new global trading environment.

Key Takeaways:

• European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson urged China to demonstrate leadership in the Doha Round of talks, citing China's rapid economic growth and its influence in the global trade community.
• Mandelson emphasized the importance of China taking a responsible approach to its rise as a major power, highlighting the need to consider the impact of its success on the rest of the world.
• The EU has favored holding discussions with Beijing on the textile trade sector, and Mandelson encouraged China to consider introducing measures to curb a dramatic surge in exports that could destabilize the global textile trade.
• The EU has become China's largest trading partner, with trade exceeding US$150 billion last year.
• Mandelson also called for China to ease restrictions on arms exports, which the US has opposed, and to adopt a cautious approach to the new global trading environment.
• Trade ministers will meet in Hong Kong in December as a next step in the Doha Round talks.
• The Doha Round talks suffered a severe setback when a ministerial meeting in Cancun in 2003 collapsed in acrimony, but a new framework for negotiations was agreed upon last August.
• Mandelson will engage in detailed discussions with Chinese negotiators in the months ahead as part of his efforts to find a solution to the textile trade dispute.

Statistics:

• US$150 billion: The value of EU-China trade in 2003, making the EU China's largest trading partner.
• 2003: The year in which a ministerial meeting in Cancun collapsed in acrimony, dealing a severe setback to the Doha Round talks.
• December: The month in which trade ministers will meet in Hong Kong as a next step in the Doha Round talks.
• 2004: The year in which a new framework for negotiations was agreed upon in the Doha Round talks.

Sources:

• Beijing's XIC (Xinhua Information Company) dated February 25, 2004.