Water

New WTO Round ""Necessary"": France

BANGKOK, March 10 (AFP) - A new round of multilateral trade talks is "necessary" and would benefit all parties, the French minister of state for foreign trade said here Friday. "It's necessary to launch a new round (of negotiations). It's in all our interests," said Francois Huwart, who was in the Thai capital to end a week-long, three-nation tour of Southeast Asia.

China Confident of WTO Entry as Accord Sealed with Thailand

BEIJING, March 10 (AFP) - China confidently predicted it was close to ending its long quest for WTO membership Friday as it sealed a trade pact with Thailand and prepared for a final round of tough talks with the EU.

China Seen Selectively Scaling Back Grain Protections

The Wall Street Journal / By STEPHANIE HOO SHANGHAI -- As China presses forward with reforming its inefficient grain sector, the government is severely narrowing the scope of state grain buying, but actively buying favored grains, analysts say.

Divided Business Groups May Cripple U.S. Effort to Keep Export Tax Break

The Wall Street Journal / By JOHN D. MCKINNON / Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL WASHINGTON -- At a time when U.S. officials want to present a unified front to defend an American tax break for exports, big businesses have formed separate camps.

U.S. Wants Quad Members to Agree on Agenda Before New WTO Meeting Is Held

International Trade Reporter The United States will support convening another ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization only after it has reached agreement with other major industrialized countries, including the European Union, on the agenda for launching a new round of multilateral trade negotiations, the chief U.S. trade negotiator said March 7.

Iran Seeks End to U.S. Trade Ban

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran's foreign minister said today his government sought better trade relations with the United States, particularly the removal of bans on Iranian goods. "We would welcome the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iranian goods and would consider it as a positive move," Kamal Kharrazi told a Tehran news conference.

Congress Mulls China Trade Bill

By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton and Congress are headed for an election-year showdown over whether the United States should give China the same permanent trade benefits it grants most other nations, with supporters seeking votes in both the House and Senate before Memorial Day.

China Warns on U.S. Sales to Taiwan

By JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press Writer BEIJING (AP) - China called today for the immediate cancellation of U.S. plans to sell air defense equipment to Taiwan, warning that such sales inflame already tense relations.

China Urges Swift U.S. Passage of Trade Bill

BEIJING, March 9 (Reuters) - China urged the U.S. Congress on Thursday to grant it permanent trading privileges in the U.S. market unconditionally and said failure to do so would hurt American businesses in the Chinese market.

Clinton Probably Short on China Votes

By Adam Entous WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House probably does not have the votes in Congress right now to grant China permanent trading privileges in the U.S. market, a senior Clinton administration official conceded on Thursday.