. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SG/96 
1 November 2011 
 (11-5496) 
Committee on Safeguards  
 
 
 
CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS 
ON TRANSITIONAL REVIEW OF CHINA  
  
1. The Committee on Safeguards undertook the ninth and final transitional review of China's 
implementation of the Agreement on Safeguards pursuant to Paragraph 18 of the Protocol on the 
Accession of the People's Republic of China (WT/ L/432) at its meeting on 27 October 2011.   
2. Annex 1A to the Protocol requires China to submit information regarding the implementation 
of its Regulation on Safeguards.  China submitted the information in this respect on 20 October 2011. 
It can be found in document G/SG/W/217. 
3. The statements made at the meeting of 27 Oct ober 2011, at which the transitional review was 
Item 2C of the agenda, are reflected in the minut es of the meeting, which will be circulated as 
document G/SG/M/40.  The relevant paragraphs whic h reflect the statements made at the meeting are 
annexed. G/SG/96 
Page 2 
 
 
  ANNEX  [EXTRACT FROM DOCUMENT G/SG/M/40] 
TRANSITIONAL REVIEW UNDER PARAGRAPH 18 OF THE PROTOCOL 
OF ACCESSION OF THE PEOPLE' S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO THE 
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION 
 
1. The Chairperson noted that Paragraph 18 of China's Protocol of Accession provided that all 
subsidiary bodies, including the Safeguards Comm ittee, "which have a mandate covering China's 
commitments under the WTO Agreement or [the] Prot ocol shall, within one year after accession, 
review, as appropriate to their mandate, the implem entation by China of the WTO Agreement and of 
the related provisions of [the] Protocol."  China was to provide relevant information in advance of the 
review, including information specified in Annex 1A to the Protocol.  China could also raise issues 
relating to any reservations under S ection 17 or to any other speci fic commitments made by other 
Members in the Protocol, in subsidiary  bodies which have a relevant mandate. 
2. The Chairperson stated that th e Committee must report the results of the review promptly to 
the Council for Trade in Goods.  The review has taken place after China's accession each year for 
eight years, and this being year 10, this was the fi nal review. She added that there were no procedures 
set out for the conduct of the transitional review in  the Protocol, except that China was to provide 
relevant information in advance of the review.  In accordance with section IV.6 of Annex 1A to the 
Protocol, China was required to notify the Committ ee of its implementation of its Regulation on 
Safeguards.  The Chairperson informed the Committ ee that China had submitted the information on 
20 October 2011, and was circulated as document G/SG/W/217. 
3. There was no Member that took the floor to co mment on the information submitted by China. 
4. The representative of China, at the occasion of th is final review, thanke d all delegations for 
their constant attention and interest throughout th e TRM discussions. She stated that China has made 
tremendous efforts to fulfil its commitments unde r China's Accession Protocol, and that China has 
gradually developed the legal framework of the safeguards instrument in compliance with the 
Accession Protocol as well as the Safeguards Agreemen t, as was described in the latest information 
circulated in document G/SG/W/217. China has been serious and prudent in the use of safeguards, as 
with other trade remedy instruments. China has initiated only one safeguards investigation which was 
duly notified to the Committee. China would continue  to actively engage in the activity of this 
Committee, and looked forward to exchanging vi ews on safeguards measures of various Members 
under the regular agenda items.   
5. The Chairperson noted that China's Protocol of Accession contained no guidelines for 
reporting to the Council for Trade in Goods on the Committee's transitional review of China's 
implementation of the Agreement.  She proposed  that the Committee follow the same reporting 
procedure as last time, whereby the Chairperson,  acting on her own responsibility, would prepare a 
brief, factual report, with references to the docum ents concerned, and attaching the portion of the 
minutes of the meeting which relate to the transitional review. 
6. The Committee agreed that  the Chairperson should prepare the same type of report in respect 
of this year's review. 
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