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India and China will work together in the current Doha Round of world trade talks based on their shared interests and concerns in many areas of the ongoing negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) including agriculture, non-agricultural market access (NAMA) and in rules. This was highlighted at a meeting the Chinese Commerce Minister Mr. Bo Xilai had with the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr. Kamal Nath last night on the eve of the 2-day informal ministerial meeting of the WTO – mini ministerial – which is being hosted by China at Dalian on 12th and 13th July 2005. Both sides expressed their resolve to resist what the Chinese Minister called attempts at “ sub-classification of developing countries” by the developed countries into advanced developing countries, developing countries and the least developed countries (LDCs). Developing countries should be treated as one whole entity and be accorded effective Special and Differential (S & D) treatment, as mandated in the Doha agenda, they said. Mr. Kamal Nath indicated that developing countries including LDCs would intensify their interactions in the coming weeks and months in the run up to the Hong Kong Ministerial. Development issues must be addressed upfront as the Doha agenda was meant essentially to be a development round and not just a market access round, he said.
Other points flagged by the two ministers were that export subsidies should be eliminated by 2010, domestic support in agriculture be brought down and there should be a level playing field for developing countries before they are asked to open their markets. “ In the past, India and China have paid a price for unfair trade… Developed countries should take the lead in making commitments in the WTO. India and China share many points of convergence and therefore, China looks forward to closer cooperation with India in the next two days”, Mr. Bo Xilai said.
SB/MRS
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