WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/8
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1978)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
MACAU
Statement Circulated byMr.Vitor Rodrigues Pessoa,
Secretary forEconomic Coordination
Asthemultilateral trading system celebrates thefiftieth anniversary ofitscreation, wewish
toemphasize itsimportance andcontribution toworld economic development bypromoting, inan
effective manner, theliberalization andexpansion oftradewhile simultaneously creating aregulatory
framework forinternational trade relations.
Macau looks forward optimistically tothissystem being consolidated andstrengthened, and
alsotothepositive roletheliberalization oftrade canplaywithin theframework ofrulesoftheWorld
Trade Organization.
Bysigning theMarrakesh Agreements in1994, Macau reiterated itsfullsupport forthefounding
principles ofthemultilateral trading system. Inkeeping withitsresources, Macau hasfollowed the
work andparticipated intheon-going negotiations within thevarious bodies oftheWorld Trade
Organization.
Inthiscontext itsubmitted aproposal inthe1997 negotiations ontrade infinancial services
which reflected thehighdegree ofliberalization initsfinancial market, andalsotheimportance the
Government pays togreater transparency infinancial services. Macau hopes thattheeffective
implementation oftheFinancial Services Agreement willcontribute tofinancial stability andthesmooth
running oftheworld economy.
Bysubscribing totheInformation Technology Agreement, Macau sought togiveitssupport
totheliberalization ofasector thatisnowadays increasingly significant totheworld economy. The
Macau Administration isfollowing closely theworks under way,aimed atbroadening thelistofproducts
covered bytheprovisions oftheInformation Technology Agreement.
TheGovernmentregardsthecorrectapplicationoftheTRIPSAgreementasvitaltotheefficiency
ofthemultilateral trading system anditrecently adopted newlegislative andenforcement measures
soastoensure theeffective protection ofintellectual property rights.
Asfarasconcerns theTextiles andClothing Agreement, astageofliberalization began recently
under theterms oftheMarrakesh Agreement, integrating thetextiles andclothing sectors progressively
intothe1994 GATT rules. However, wewould liketoexpress ourconcern atthehighdegree of
protection thatstillexists inimporting countries andwebelieve thatitisessential thatthespirit of
liberalization contained intheAgreement befullyrespected.
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Theopening upofthetextiles andclothing market should begradual andsignificant, soas
toallow progressive adjustments andprevent theimpact ofopening upimporting markets being felt
onlyinother stages asthiswould disrupt boththese markets andthose inexporting countries.
Wewould alsocallonimporting countries toadopt positive measures toremove discriminatory
treatment inthissector, andtoavoid falling back onnewforms ofprotectionism intheform of
anti-dumping acts,orcustoms andadministrative formalities.
Thesuccess ofthemultilateral trading system overrecent years canbeexplained bythe
undeniable soundness oftheprinciples oflegal regulation, non-discrimination anddecision-making
byconsensus onwhich itisbased. Nevertheless, inorder forthose principles tobeapplied withequity,
wemustbearinmind thatthere isasignificant degree ofheterogeneity interms ofeconomic sizeand
negotiating capacity amongst themembers ofthisOrganization, andalsotheunfavourable economic
situation intheEastAsian region where Macau islocated.
Atatimeinwhich itisbecoming essential thattheexpansion ofthisOrganization cover major
economies which stillstand outside themultilateral trading system, andassmall economies arestill
handling theimpact ofthecommitments given in1994, webelieve thatthefullandeffective
implementation oftheUruguay Round Agreements should beregarded asaprecondition fortheessential
steps towards launching anewround ofnegotiations ontheliberalization oftrade. Macau believes
thatconsolidating theresults oftheUruguay Round isstillthemain objective tobepursued atthe
moment, thusensuring theprimacy ofthemultilateral trading system, andtheincreasingly important
rolethatthishasplayed inpromoting growth anddevelopment onaglobal scale.
Weareincreasingly seeing thegrowing interdependency anddynamism oftheworld economy,
linked tothesuccess oftheMarrakesh Agreements andthestrong andrapid growth ofinternational
trade. Confronted bythechallenge ofglobalization oftheworld economy, anopenmultilateral trading
system based ontherulesoftransparency hasafundamental roletoplayanditisimportant toensure
thatdeveloping countries canparticipate inthesystem onaneffective, equitable basis.
WehopethatthisMinisterial Conference canallow acompromise tobereached between the
necessary development ofthemultilateral trading system andsafeguarding thespecific conditions of
developing countries, without which weriskseeing aworsening ofthestructural imbalances bywhich
theyareaffected.
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