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Words mean action on trade
2002-05-02
China Daily
China is actively carrying out its commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the fields of intellectual property rights, trade in goods and services, investment and transparency.
The nation will soon complete the revision of detailed rules on implementing the trademark law, the copyright law and the drug administration law, an official with the WTO Department under the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation (MOFTEC) told China Daily.
"After the revision, China's legislation will come up with the requirements of the Agreement on Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreements)," said the official, who declined to be named.
China has revised its patent law and the detailed rules relating to it, trademark law, copyright law and regulations on the protection of computer software and passed rules on the protection of layout design for integrated circuits in the past two years.
The official said China is also drawing up a temporary rule on foreign-invested commercial enterprises and regulations governing the examination and approval of Sino-foreign joint-venture securities firms.
Around the time that China joined the WTO, the Chinese Government decreed a series of new laws and rules on the examination and approval of foreign investment in the service industry according to its WTO commitments.
These include rules on foreign-invested law firms, telecom companies, financial institutions, insurance companies, rules on international marine firms, on Sino-foreign co-operative distribution companies of audio and video products and the State Council's decision to revise the rule on tourist service agencies.
To improve the transparency and efficiency of the Chinese Government, MOFTEC set up a notification and consulting bureau on the day China formally became a WTO member.
The bureau started work on January 14 and promised to reply to any enquiry related to China's trade in goods and services, intellectual property rights, foreign exchange and other laws and rules on foreign trade and economic co-operation within 30 working days.
The bureau has so far received more than 300 enquiries from embassies, Chinese and foreign companies and individuals and have provided written answers to the majority of these enquiries.
MOFTEC has set up an experts' team consisting of its own officials and those of other ministries and commissions under the State Council and scholars from research institutions to ensure the accuracy and authoritativeness of the answers.
China has lowered its tariffs to 12 per cent from 15.3 per cent this year and cancelled quota licence management on grain, wool, terylene, polyester chips, fertilizer and tyres on February 6 as well as released the quota for China's machinery and electronic imports this year.
The State Development Planning Commission has also released detailed rules on tariff quotas for farm produce and wool in early February and the State Economic and Trade Commission has published detailed rules on tariff quotas for fertilizer last year.
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