China and Australia agree on WTO deal

14 July 1999

China and Australia agree on WTO deal

CHINA and Australia have struck an agreement on Beijings application to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The move was the second bilateral WTO agreement this month for China, following successful negotiations with Japan last week.

Beijing must conclude deals with all members of a WTO working party that includes the US, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan and India before a new round of multilateral WTO talks start in Seattle in late November.

China will give Australia access to several markets including a range of agricultural products from dairy to wheat and sugar, under the deal agreed this week.

• Financial Times 14/07/99 page 6