Vietnam continues WTO talks with U.S., Japan
This month, Vietnam will continue its talks with the U.S. and Japan on entering the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a bid to become a WTO member by its target date of late 2005.
Vietnam and the U.S. will proceed with negotiations about the former’s WTO entry efforts in Washington D.C. March 14 to 16, according to Vietnam Ministry of Trade.
High on the agenda will likely be Vietnam’s taxation system and its opening up of markets in the telecommunications, banking and financial service sectors. The U.S. had demanded Vietnam clarify some issues by the end of February.
Meanwhile, Vietnam and Japan will resume WTO negotiations on Wednesday, March 10.
Japan has made requests regarding Vietnam’s intellectual property policies and the protection of Japanese investors’ benefits in Vietnam.
Japan has also proposed Vietnam make considerable tax reductions on goods and further open up its banking, transportation and goods distribution sectors.
Hoping for major breakthroughs
According to Trade Minister Truong Dinh Tuyen, Vietnam will have to wrap up negotiations in June or July if the country wants to become a WTO member at the global trade body’s ministerial conference in Hong Kong in December this year.
“Breakthroughs" in negotiations, if possible, will take place in April or May, Mr. Tuyen added.
But what is most important for Vietnam’s WTO entry is the quality of negotiations rather than the number of concluded talks, said an expert.
The country will start the 10th multilateral negotiation round in Geneva, Switzerland late this month.
Reported by Xuan Danh - Translated by T.H.
Story from Thanh Nien News
Published: 09 March, 2005, 21:04:57 (GMT+7)
Copyright Thanh Nien News
