Experts reject US criticism on post-WTO performance 
  (Xinhua)  Updated: 2006-12-14 10:50  
US accusations that China is failing to live up to its World Trade 
Organization (WTO) commitments have been rejected by experts in China, which has 
just received an "A-plus" performance rating from WTO director-general Pascal 
Lamy. 
  In response to complaints of rampant piracy, protectionism and 
export subsidies, Zhao Yumin, an expert of the Commerce Ministry research 
institute, said the United States had failed to thoroughly examine China's 
performance, so it could not provide an objective appraisal. 
  The report, 
issued by the US Trade Representative's Office on Monday, in the run-up to the 
top-level China-US strategic economic dialogue in Beijing on Thursday, is widely 
seen by Chinese experts as an attempt to pressure the Chinese government on 
certain key issues. 
  Complaining of a lack of a forceful crackdown on 
piracy, the report said, "China routinely fines copyright violators rather than 
prosecuting them." 
  But Zhao said China had issued regulations in 2004 
that stipulated prison terms of up to seven years for those convicted of selling 
more than 5,000 pirated discs. 
  Chinese statistics show that from July to 
October this year, more than 140 violators received jail terms across the 
country. 
  "It is true that administrative penalties remain the common 
practice for dealing with copyright violators, but the government has become 
tough on the issue," said Zhao. 
  "These efforts are impressive for a 
developing country like China, when reducing poverty and addressing unemployment 
remain priorities," she said. 
  Regarding the market opening, the US Trade 
Representative Susan Schwab said certain US industries "face frustrating 
barriers to doing business in China and there are worrisome signs that China's 
market liberalization efforts have slowed in the last year". 
  Lan 
Yisheng, an economics professor with the Shanghai University of Finance and 
Economics, argued that every nation had the right to control industries of 
significant importance to national security. "It does not break WTO rules," he 
was quoted as saying in Wednesday's China Business News. 
  "China opened 
all the sectors listed in its WTO commitments five years ago and removed 
barriers to foreign participation," said Zhao Yumin. 
  The US report also 
targeted increasing Chinese exports, saying the Chinese government provided 
substantial resources to support Chinese industries and increase exports. 
  "The Chinese government has abolished subsidies on export products as it 
promised," said Zhao. 
  "Even in the agricultural sector, highly protected 
in both developed and developing countries, China has abolished subsidies on 
exports," she said. 
  "China has become one of the most open economic 
entities in the world," said the expert. 
  Zhao said the Chinese 
government may provide financial assistance in company research and development 
and grant preferential taxation and loan policies to companies aiming to expand 
overseas. 
  "But all of the policies focus on the production phase, not 
exports. It doesn't break WTO rules," said Zhao. 
  China marked five years 
of WTO membership on December 11. Pascal Lamy, WTO director-general, and 
Charlene Barshefsky, former US trade representative, both senior negotiators 
during China's entry into the WTO, have praised China's fulfillment of WTO 
pledges. 
  Lamy told Xinhua in Geneva that he gave China's performance an 
A-plus. Barshefsky said that China had made remarkable progress in opening its 
economy since it joined the WTO. 
  A high-profile US delegation led by 
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson arrived in Beijing Wednesday for the first 
China-US strategic economic dialogue. 
  Among Paulson's delegation are the 
US Cabinet secretaries of commerce, labor, energy and health and human services. 
Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve and the US Trade 
Representative Susan Schwab will also take part in the 
meetings.
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
  
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