. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/1 
14 December 2005 
 (05-5931) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   English 
 
  
SINGAPORE 
 
Statement by HE Mr Lim Hng Kiang
 
Minister for Trade and Industry  
  
1. We launched the Doha Round four years ago.  Afte r four years, we have to confront a basic 
question.  What have we achieved in the last four years?  And what do we need to do to bring this 
round to a successful conclusion? 
2. As far as multilateral negotiations go, four year s is not a very long time.  After all, the 
Uruguay Round took almost twice as long.  But the world has changed since the Uruguay Round.  And the world is watching us carefully.  We have to show our political will and sense of purpose to 
complete the Round by the end of 2006. 
3. At this meeting, we face two particular pressures.  First, there has not been significant 
progress since the July 2004 Framework.  Second, we  do not have much time left.  Post-Hong Kong, 
we have about one year to conc lude negotiations.  If we miss this deadline, there will be serious 
consequences for the credibility of the WTO and th e multilateral trading system.  If we do not take 
some concrete steps towards a conclusion of the rou nd by next year, we risk a loss of interest and 
momentum in the Doha Round. 
4. The consequences will affect every country, large or small.  I therefore urge the major players 
to show leadership and political will to take th e tough and necessary decisions.  They have benefited 
from the multilateral system and they have a res ponsibility to sustain that system.  Other Members 
equally have the responsibility to play their part.  There must be trust among Members.  It is not 
possible to have negotiations within the framework of a single undertaking without restoring trust in the system.  The WTO is a public good , a common asset that deserves trust. 
5. At Hong Kong, we have no option but to succe ed.  We must make progress and the progress 
we make must be meaningful.  It must make a real difference to our business communities, to our 
people and to the development pros pects of the developing world. 
6. How are we to do this?  The strongest impact on development will come from freeing up 
market access.  A study by the World Bank reporte d that eliminating tariffs, subsidies and domestic 
support would boost global welfare by US$300 billion per year by 2015.  Reform in agriculture 
alone would account for two-thirds of these gains, becau se this is more distorted than other sectors.  
The same study also reported that developing countr ies would receive 45 per cent of the global gains 
from completely freeing all merchandise trade. 
7. Agriculture will set the tone for this round.  It is a politically sensitive sector, and there will 
be a need to hold fast to the potential long-term  gain, in exchange for short-term pain.  The 
leadership has to come from the developed coun tries.  Leadership also means making greater 
sacrifices.  The developed countries must commit to  increasing access to the exports of developing WT/MIN(05)/ST/1 
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 countries and least developed countries and to re moving other trade distortions.  The developing 
countries too must play their part.  They must commit to liberalization measures and removing trade distortions.  This would also help to increase tr ade among themselves.  The developing countries are 
also important markets for LDCs. 
8. We may not be able to achieve consensus on sp ecific numbers over the next few days.  But let 
us at least aim to engage in good faith and in ear nest on the questions that have been framed for our 
discussion. 
9. There are other stakes beyond agriculture.  For NAMA, we should aim to further the work we 
have been doing over the last 50 years.  Let us not forget that trade in manufacturing products constitutes about three-quarters of global merchandise trade.  Here in Hong Kong, we should at least 
agree on the structure of the formula as well as the flexibility to be accorded to developing countries. 
10. In Services, we need compleme ntary approaches that will deliver results and yet respect the 
flexibilities in the GATS and the Negotiating Guidelines for the developing countries.  On Rules, we 
should recognize the need to proceed with negotiati ons that would help to strengthen the system. 
11. This is a development round.  It means many th ings to many people.  It has become political 
and politicized.  But one thing is clear:  we need to give least developed countries a helping hand.  
They need it and they deserve it.  We need in particular to increase the market access of LDCs to 
other markets, both deve loped and developing. 
12. As trade ministers, we are constrained by domestic  political considerations.  This is a reality.  
But it is also in our interests to preserve what we have achieved so far and bring the process to a 
successful conclusion.  In the next few days, some  tough decisions are necessary.  And there has to 
be political will and trust among participants.  As demonstrated in the recent decision to amend the 
TRIPs Agreement on the Public Health issue, this is  not impossible.  That we have a consolidated 
draft text before us is already an achievement a nd should give us reason to be hopeful.  Before we 
leave Hong Kong, we must have a clear idea of wh at needs to be done post-Hong Kong.  We need a 
work plan that is both realistic yet ambitious. 
13. Singapore will work closely with Hong Kong and a ll of you to make progress at this meeting.  
I have every confidence that each of you also want  to move this process forward and bring the round 
to a successful conclusion. 
 
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