Renato Ruggiero, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), said on Tuesday that talks on Chinas application to join the Geneva-based trade body were nearing their final phase. But he could not say when negotiations would end.
I hope this negotiation reaches a conclusion as soon as possible and I think we are approaching the final phase of this negotiation, he told a committee of the French Senate.
Ruggiero said that talks were focusing on the rules under which China would join the two-year old successor to GATT and whether it would benefit from a period of transition on joining.
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But speaking to reporters afterwards, he declined to give a timetable for the rest of the talks.
What I can say is that we have made great progress and I hope we will reach a conclusion as quickly as possible, he said.