China, US Reach Deal In WTO Subsidies Case

China moved to address a flash point in economic relations with the U.S., agreeing to end trade-distorting subsidies to Chinese manufacturers, a senior Bush administration official said.

'This outcome represents a victory for U.S. manufacturers and their workers,' U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said in a statement Thursday. She added that the settlement 'also demonstrates that two great trading nations can work together to settle disputes to their mutual benefit.'

The move by China comes just ahead of a 'strategic dialogue' on economic issues between the U.S. and China, planned for December in Beijing.

The move would bring an end to a U.S. complaint filed this year at the World Trade Organization, the Geneva-based body that overseas global trading rules.

Ms. Schwab said the U.S. and China have signed a 'memorandum of understanding' to settle the WTO case, with China agreeing to take steps through the end of the year to eliminate business subsidies prohibited by the WTO. Ms. Schwab described the settlement as a 'pragmatic outcome' to the case.

The complaint alleged that Chinese government subsidies boosted the country's exports across a range of industries, from wood products to computers to steel, making their products so cheap that U.S. manufacturers were put at a disadvantage in the global marketplace.

The administration of President George W. Bush had charged that Chinese companies receiving these subsidies, which include special tax rebates, allegedly accounted for 60% of China's manufacturing exports to the U.S. in 2005.

Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, a tough critic of China's trade policy and the chairman of the Joint Economic Committee and a member of the Senate Finance and Banking committees, didn't share the administration's enthusiasm. 'While this settlement sounds like a good step forward, when it comes to our trading relationship with China, we should use President Reagan's 'trust, but verify' approach,' he said. 'China's currency doesn't float freely, certain U.S. industries with competitive advantages can't operate freely in China's economy, and some of the products it exports are faulty or dangerous.'

He characterized China's move as 'a small step on the long road toward playing more fairly in global trade, but only time will tell.'

美国贸易代表苏珊•施瓦布(Susan Schwab)周四表示，中国同意取消一系列出口补贴，从而斩断了一条或影响美中经济关系的导火索。

施瓦布在一份声明中指出，这一成果标致着美国制造业企业及其从业人员取得的胜利。她补充说，该问题的解决也表明，美中两个贸易大国可以通过双赢的合作来平息争端。

新一轮美中战略经济对话即将于12月份在北京举行，中国取消出口补贴的决定可谓恰逢其时。

此决定还将为美国今年针对中国的出口补贴正式向世界贸易组织(WTO)提出申诉一事画上句号。

施瓦布表示美中已就了结美国向WTO提出的这一申诉签署了谅解备忘录，中国方面同意在年底之前取消与WTO规定相悖的补贴政策。施瓦布将美中双方此次达成的和解称之为美国这项申诉取得的一个“现实结果”。

美国政府在申诉中表示，中国政府向木制品、计算机和钢铁等一系列工业产品给予出口补贴，从而推动了出口业的发展，但中国人为大幅压低出口商品价格的行为使美国制造业企业在全球市场中处于不利境地。

美国布什政府此前指出，这些享受了退税等优惠政策的企业所出口的产品在2005年中国对美出口中占到了六成。

不过，一贯对中国贸易政策持严厉批评态度的美国参议员舒默(Charles Schumer)却不像布什政府那样欢欣鼓舞。这位美国国会联合经济委员会(Joint Economic Committee)主席兼参议院财政委员会(Senate Finance Committee)及参议院银行委员会(Senate Banking Committee)委员表示：“虽然双方的协议听起来像是取得了相当进展，但落实到美中贸易关系的问题上，我们应该采取里根总统提出的'相信但仍需验证'的态度。”他指出：“应该看到，人民币汇率仍非自由浮动，某些美国优势产业不能在中国自由发展，而某些中国出口商品存在缺陷甚至危险。”

舒默认为，中国取消出口补贴只是向前迈出了一小步，距离更公平地参与全球贸易还有很长的路要走，未来会怎样，只有时间能给出答案。

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