Trade ministers push for WTO talks

By staff and wire reports

SHANGHAI, China -- Asia-Pacific trade ministers have called for a new round of global trade talks.

The head of the World Trade Organization on Wednesday also pushed for a quick resolution to China's bid to join the group.

"We're not a world trade organization until China is a member," WTO Executive Director Mike Moore said.

Push for talks

Moore said he would urge trade ministers from Asia-Pacific nations to keep pushing China's bid as they meet in Shanghai.

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The 21 trade ministers from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) nations have gathered for two days of meetings in China's financial capital.

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After a trip to the nearby lakeside town of Zhouzhuang on Wednesday afternoon, the ministers called for a new round of global trade talks.

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"Almost all APEC member economies feel strongly how urgent it is to launch a new round of WTO negotiations," Long Yongtu, China's top WTO negotiator, said at a press conference.

The WTO is expected to launch a new round of talks in Doha, Qatar, in November. Those should press ahead, the ministers agreed. They stressed the need for flexibility from WTO members.

Sideline chat

China has been attending WTO talks as an observer. But the country's 14-year quest to join as a full member is top of the agenda in Shanghai.

The bid has stalled on issues such as agriculture subsidies for Chinese farmers, amid a backdrop of political tensions with the United States.

The United States and China met Tuesday but failed to resolve the key issues. U.S. companies' access to China's insurance and retail markets are still niggling questions.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and China's Trade Minister Shi Guangsheg promised to continue discussions. They ordered aides to keep talking on the sidelines.

Moore said he hopes the APEC talks will help move China's bid forward. As host of this year's APEC meetings, China is getting a shove that might see it over the WTO finish line.

"I'm hopeful that ministers... are able to negotiate and get a little closer and take their position to Geneva at the end of the month," Moore told Reuters news agency.

The WTO said on Tuesday it would host a five-day session at its Geneva headquarters starting June 28. The working party will try to thrash out the sticking points over China's accession to the 141-member WTO.

'Shanghai Charter'

The trade ministers are this week laying the groundwork for a major APEC summit in Shanghai in October, which U.S. President George W. Bush is due to attend.

The ministers hope to make a splash in October. To that end, they are expected this week to revive a stalled plan to cut tariffs, including a so-called "Shanghai Charter" being pushed by the United States.

The charter proposals contents are evolving. But, if agreed, it would help build momentum toward APEC's goal of free and open trade for developed nations by 2010 and developing nations by 2020.

Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile said it was important to take a stand-out statement to the summit later this year.

"I see the Shanghai Charter initiative as the way to build on APEC's work," he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.