China has fully participated in and supported the launching of Doha Development Agenda, Sun Zhenyu, Chinese Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), told Chinese reporters Cancun on Thursday.

Sun Zhenyu said participation in the process is in consistent with the goal of opening and reform as well as development set by the Chinese government.

Sun said China attended the WTO Ministerial meeting for the first time as a full member, and the Chinese delegation has clarified China's position and special concern in the multilateral trade talks at the plenary session in the past two days.

China holds that the interests and special concerns of developing members as well as the newly accessed members should be paid attention to.

The WTO fifth Ministerial meeting got underway at the Mexican seaside resort of Cancun on Wednesday.

The five-day WTO meeting is supposed to give a mid-term review for the ongoing round of trade liberalization talks, launched in 2001 in Doha, Qatar, and to decide whether to launch the negotiations on Singapore issues including investment, competition, transparency of government procurement and trade facilities.

"We wish WTO Cancun conference success and a balanced result will be reached," said the Chinese ambassador.

Sun said China is willing to make efforts with other members to promote the Doha Development Agenda and play a constructive role in the negotiations.

The deep and fundamental divisions among the WTO members left little hope that the world trade body would achieve much more than a barebones "framework" for progress in eliminating global trade barriers.

(People’s Daily September 12, 2003)