On May 19 and 20, Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming headed Chinese delegation to attend APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting 2011 in Montana, USA. In the meeting, extensive consultations were made in further supporting multilateral trade system and priorities for APEC in 2011, and discussions focused on pushing forward Doha Development Agenda (DDA) Negotiations, strengthening regional economic integration, promoting green growth, and advancing regulatory convergence and cooperation.

On Doha Negotiations, Minister Chen said, DDA is stilling facing with severe difficulties and unable to break impasse in spite of efforts by all parties. Like most APEC members, China hopes to push forward DDA based on existing fruits and opposes starting all over again. China will participate in DDA Negotiations in an active and constructive manner as usual and open in the ways of pushing forward the negotiations. Minister Chen stressed that for the next step negotiations, there should insist on three principles: first, not deviate from the theme of development; secondly, give priority to the important concerns by developing countries, especially by the least developed countries; thirdly, be conducive to the success of DDA overall and maintain multilateral trade system.

On next generation trade and investment, Minister Chen stated that it should properly tackle the relationship between the development of new fields and realizing the Bogor goals and reach regional integration based on opening and win-win outcomes. China agrees to have discussions on global industrial chain, SMEs participation into the chain and innovation policies as the next generation trade and investment issues, and hopes to give consideration to the participation capacity of developing members and not to restrict their development.

On promoting green growth, Minister Chen pointed out that all parties should obey the principle of “common and differentiated responsibilities” and realize green growth on the basis of common development. He emphasized that the APEC cooperation should devote itself to realizing all-win in trade, development and environment, vigorously push forward the economic and technical cooperation and capacity building. Particularly, developed members should intensify their capital and technical assistance for developing members, and help them improve their independent development so as to realize the sustainable and common development.

On advancing regulatory convergence and cooperation, Minister Chen said, China gives supports to regulatory cooperation and promotion of coordination in legal criteria. Because of great differences of the economic and social development and national conditions in this region, we should fully aware of the diversity in membership, respect their respective laws and regulations, and take regulatory cooperation in a flexible and volunteer manner.

On food security, Minister Chen said the main reason for food price rising is not the management measures but improper monetary policies of some economies and over production of bio-energy. APEC’s solutions of food security should focus on the root cause. He stressed that it is the largest contribution made by China to the global food security to provide food and clothing for about 20% of the world population by its around 9% cultivated land and 6% fresh water resource worldwide.

During the meeting, Minister Chen met with the WTO Director-General Lamy, US Trade Representative Kirk, the US Senator Baucus, and Russian Minister of Economic Development Nabiullina respectively, and had sincere and friendly exchanges on issues of common interests. Yi Xiaozhun, China's Permanent Ambassador to the WTO, and Yu Jianhua, Assistant Minister of Commerce of China, were present at the above activities.

(All information published on this website is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only.)