1、1877 单词， 2050 汉字 外文翻译 原文 China and the Multilateral Trading System Material Source: NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH Author:Robert Z. Lawrence For more than two decades, Chinas rapid growth has been driven by its global economic engagement. Since its accession to the WTO in 2001, foreign trade a
2、nd foreign direct investment have made even more important contributions to Chinese growth. Between 2001 and 2005, for example, the dollar value of Chinese exports and imports increased at annual rates of 29.3 and 25.3 percent respectively and in 2005, 58 percent of Chinese exports originated from f
3、oreign owned firm. As a result of this performance, Chinas share in world imports increased from 3.3 in 2001 to 5.9 percent in 2004 and its share in world exports from 3.9 percent in 2001 to 6.5 percent in 2004. This makes China a major participant in world trade and having now surpassed Japan, the
4、dominant trading power in East Asia China looms particularly large as an exporter of labor- intensive manufactured goods and components and as a major importer of capital goods, primary commodities and semi-finished parts .It is also the developing worlds largest recipient of direct foreign investme
5、nt. Given its size, the pace of its expansion, and its outward orientation, China is likely to have a growing impact on the global trading system and its policies are likely to have an important influence on the systems evolution. These policies have been as dynamic as its trade and investment perfo
6、rmance. In 2001 after fourteen years of negotiations, China became a full member of the WTO, assuming obligations that are at the level of many developed economies. Since that time it has participated actively in the institutions activities and negotiations. In part to meet the conditions of its acc
7、ession, China has also dramatically liberalized its domestic economy and introduced a large number of internal policies that consolidate its transition to a market economy. In addition, China has adopted a multi-track trade policy strategy, complementing its WTO and domestic liberalization policies
8、with regional trading initiatives. By 2005, China had completed four FTA agreements Thailand in 2003, Hong Kong and Macao in 2004 and Chile in 2005 and as estimated by Wong and Herbier have proposed and/or launched negotiations for least another fifteen. What do these policies portend? When China pr
9、oposed joining the WTO several concerns were raised. One was that the system as a whole could be weakened because China was not a fully market driven economy and was therefore unlikely or unable to adhere to the WTO rules. China then acceded to the WTO under very demanding terms and there were fears
10、 that either deliberately or inadvertently it would not implement these commitments. A second concern was that China would not participate constructively in the WTO. It would throw its weight around, try quickly to obtain disproportionate influence and use its influence to fundamentally change the W
11、TO system. China was also seen as a potentially powerful addition to the ranks of developing countries, and many in the developed world worried that it would seek to limit the obligations required of developing countries. More recently a third set of questions is being raised with respect to Chinas
12、trade policies in the East Asian region. Would Chinese regional initiatives undermine the multilateral trading order? Is China seeking to establish an East Asian trading bloc under its leadership that discriminates against outsiders? Will it use its market to create a hub and spoke system in East As
13、ia in which China gains serves as the hub and the other countries are the spokes? Finally there is the fear that not only China but other countries in the region are creating a system of overlapping trade regimes, that could impose unnecessary trading costs, induce harmful trade diversion, and actua
14、lly fragment rather than integrate the regional economy . Like almost every other WTO member, China has not confined its trade policy to the WTO. Instead, it has both embraced and stimulated the current global trend towards Free Trade Agreements. China has concluded several agreements and is in the
15、process of negotiating many more. In 2001, it began talks with ASEAN that resulted in an agreement to eliminate tariffs and continue with a view to obtaining agreements with respect to investment and services. It 2003 an agreement in agriculture was concluded with Thailand. In 2004, Hong Kong & Maca
16、u signed agreements with the Mainland. In 2005, an agreement with Chile was concluded and there are currently ongoing FTA negotiations with Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Southern Africa Customs Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Other discussions that are ongoing include Brazil, Iceland
17、, India, Japan and South Korea . Asean. In 2002 a framework agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation was signed with ASEAN to serve as guide for achieving an FTA that covers goods services and investment. The goal is to have an FTA in place by 2010 among the more advanced of these countries.
18、The newer ASEAN members Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia will have until 2015 to comply. An early harvest program reduced or eliminated tariffs in about 10 percent of lines by 2006. Most other tariffs are to be eliminated on between 2005 and 2010, by which time 90 percent of tariff lines should b
19、e covered. The remaining 10 percent are deemed sensitive and will be removed at a slower pace. There are also ongoing negotiations with respect to services and investment and expectations that ASEAN could obtain benefits from acceleration in Chinas WTO service liberalization commitments. Hong Kong a
20、nd Macao. The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement CEPA Agreement signed by China and Hong Kong was the first completed FTA agreement signed by both parties. Its stated purpose is “to strengthen trade and investment cooperation by liberalizing tariff and non-tariff barriers on substantially all t
21、rade, liberalizing services and promoting trade and investment facilitation.” CEPA Pre- amble The Agreement signed with Macao follows a very similar template. Since Hong Kong did not apply tariffs on Chinese goods, for China this agreement clearly was not about eliminating tariffs on its exports. It
22、 was given greater security from anti-dumping and countervailing actions. However there are additional advantages. First, it signaled the special status of Hong Kong, second it gains relief from the discriminatory treatment in the WTO agreement. Third, it clearly used the agreement to signal governm
23、ent support for mainland financial institutions in Hong Kong. In addition it provides services firms in Hong Kong first foreign mover advantages. Indirectly, it also provides advantages for Hong Kong over Taiwan. Chile. In 2005 China and Chile concluded an FTA The two countries took less than a year
24、 to negotiate the accord, which immediately eliminates tariffs on 92% of Chiles exports to China and 50% of the products that China sends to Chile. The pact does not cover services. In 10 years after the start of the tariff concession process, the import tariff of 97% of the tariff lines of both sid
25、es will be zero. Furthermore, the Agreement provides that the two Parties may accelerate the tariff concession upon consensus through consultation. New Zealand hopes to become the first developed country to sign an FTA with China. It has already become the first developed economy to grant it market
26、economy status. The FTA talks have gone on for several years. The New Zealand government, which was criticized for signing an agreement with Thailand that failed to include services, is insistent that the deal should be comprehensive and in addition to covering covers goods, services and investment,
27、 include provisions for rules of origin, trade remedies, intellectual property and government procurement. Australia. China is also involved in FTA talks with Australia. Again the memorandum of understanding that launched the talks granted China market economy status. The Australian Government has a
28、lso made clear that it is seeking a comprehensive agreement that applies to “substantially” all goods, trade in services “as well as other non-tariff issues such as the recognition of standards, customs cooperation, protection of intellectual property rights and regulation of foreign investment.” Au
29、stralia is a highly competitive producer of agricultural and mineral products. In 2005, it accounted for 98 percent of all Chinese beef imports, 12 percent of dairy imports, and significant amounts of cotton and wool. There are significant exports of barely, wheat, hides and skins and wine and very
30、substantial quantities of iron ore, uranium, non-ferrous metals. Given Chinese tariffs on agricultural products of 15.3 percent and on Australian manufactured goods of up to 45 percent, the amount of liberalization for China could be substantial. On Australias part, the quid pro quo would be liberal
31、ization of tariffs on labor intensive manufactured goods. In the textiles and clothing sector, Australian average tariffs are 9.1 percent and there are 234 tariff lines with rates of between 16 and 20 percent, and 387 between 6 and 10 percent； in footwear there are 4 lines between 16 and 20 percent
32、and average rate of protection of 5.6 percent. The fact that China is willing to conclude FTAs with these two developed countries that are highly competitive agricultural producers is very significant since it indicates a willingness to contemplate major adjustments in agriculture while also indicat
33、ing these countries willingness to contemplate free trade in labor-intensive manufacturing. Others. China has also launched talks with India and Pakistan. New Delhi does not quite share the enthusiasm for a conventional FTA although it is willing to talk about cooperation. But Pakistan and China hav
34、e signed a framework agreement, implemented an early harvest and Pakistan has provided China with the requisite market economy status. China is also discussing FTAs with many other potential partners in Latin America Brazil, Peru, South Africa, the Gulf GCC, Iceland, Asia Korea and with regional gro
35、upings such as APEC and East Asia Asean plus three. Implications China has numerous goals in signing these agreements. One immediate concern is to use them to obtain market status recognition and relief from being subject to special safeguards. - Ironically China is using these discriminatory agreem
36、ents as a way to remove the discrimination to which it has been subjected at the WTO. A second motive is to secure access to important raw materials? many of the countries are major suppliers of minerals Chile-copper, Australia - iron-ore and uranium, and GCC?oil. A third is to solidify its relation
37、s and influence both inside and beyond the East Asian region and a fourth, the most basic, is to gain improved market access for its exports which as labor ?intensive manufactured and agricultural goods are often subject to high tariff protection. Individual agreements are also used to achieve specific goals. For example,
