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UPDATED: 08:03, July 12, 2005
China actively involved in Doha Round discussion, official



China has been involved in the discussions of the Doha Round in an active and constructive way since its admission into the World Trade Organization, said Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy Director of the WTO Affairs Department under the Ministry of Commerce on Monday.

Representatives from 30 members of the WTO will attend the meeting, which is expected to be held in Dalian City in Northeast China's Liaoning Province from July 12 to 13. "The timing of the WTO Informal Ministerial Meeting is a reflection of our desire to make our own contribution to move the Doha Round forward," Zhang said.

Launched at the end of 2001, the Doha Round, or Doha Development Agenda (DDA), is the first multilateral trade negotiation since the WTO was established. The main objective of the DDA is to push forward world trade liberalization and investment facilitation so as to promote development of all economies, especially that of developing ones. The negotiations are now at a critical juncture, Zhang said.

It's very important for China to join in the negotiations of international rules, Zhang said, adding that ever since China's entry into the World Trade Organization, China has participated in the discussions on various issues of the Doha round in a comprehensive way.

"We have expressed our positions and viewpoints on all issues, and on some of them, we also submitted our own proposals," he said.

Source: Xinhua

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