WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/12 
13 December 2005 
 (05-5921) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   English 
 
   
ADDRESS BY JOHN C TSANG, JP 
SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY 
HONG KONG, CHINA 
AND CHAIRMAN OF THE SIXTH SESSION 
 
 
 I have great pleasure in joining the Chief Executive in welcoming you all to the Sixth 
Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organiza tion.  I feel deeply honoured to address such a 
distinguished audience in my capacity as Chairman of this very important Conference.   I think we would all agree with the Chief Execu tive that the WTO is at a critical juncture.  
Four years ago, at the Fourth Ministerial Conference in Doha, Members  showed unity of purpose and resolve when they agreed to launch a new round of multilateral trade 
negotiations. 
  The Doha Development Agenda negotiations ar e arguably the most complex and difficult yet 
undertaken.  Agricultural produce aside, the margins for tariff reduction are by definition the narrowest following eight earlier Rounds.  Key ne gotiating areas, most notably the reduction and 
elimination of agricultural subsidies, ar e politically sensitive to many Members.  
  But Members agreed to take up this challenge  and pressed on vigorously with the negotiations 
because we recognized the quickening pace of globa l interdependence.  We recognized too that 
domestic economic reforms could not be implemented effectively without the cooperation of the other 
participants in the global economy. 
 
 In a globalized economy, all of us are impacted more rapidly by events elsewhere, but greater openness brings with it greater flexibility, and this can  be a blessing in disguise. I think of my own 
community here in Hong Kong as an example of that .  Free and open trade is the bedrock of Hong 
Kong’s economic policy, and the foundati on of its successful development.   
 
 For us, active participation in the WTO is a natural extension of this policy. The WTO’s 
rules-based multilateral trading system helps sust ain a dynamic but stable international market 
environment, in which our goods and services can co mpete on a level playing field. And in the event 
of disputes, it allows a fair hearing for al l, regardless of size and economic well being.  
 
 The rules-based system provides the essentia l international underpinning for our own open 
economic policies. Together they enable a pred ictable and welcoming environment for foreign 
investment in Hong Kong, thereby increasing jobs and demand for goods and services.   Having benefited from Hong Kong, China’s sep arate membership of the organization for 
nearly 20 years, it is time that we give someth ing back. So today we are pleased to have this 
opportunity to discharge our obligation as a responsible  international citizen with the hosting of this WT/MIN(05)/12 
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 Ministerial Conference.  As host, we have only one aim, and that is to pr ovide the launching pad for 
the final stage of these negotiations.   Significant progress has been made since the launch of the Round in November 2001. The commitment in the July Package to  eliminate agricultural export subsidies by a specific date is a truly 
remarkable achievement.  The agre ement last week to make perman ent the flexibility, available to 
developing and least developed economies under the TRIPS Agreement, to produce or import generic 
drugs to deal with epidemics is another welcome and positive sign of progress.     There is much more, and here I would like to express my appreciation to Director-General, 
Pascal Lamy and the General Council Chair, Amb assador Amina Mohamed, for their painstaking 
preparation of the draft Ministerial Declaration.  This 44-page document captures to the maximum 
degree possible the progress we have made so far.  We can see clearly where possible convergences exist, where divergences lie, and where timelines must be set in order to give direction to the process 
after Hong Kong. 
 
 This draft Declaration is the outcome of a tr ansparent and inclusive process.  It is based 
entirely on Members’ contributions.  The fact th at it presented no surprises to our negotiators in 
Geneva, when they considered it earlier this mont h in the General Council, is a vindication of the 
bottom-up approach. Let me assure you that I inte nd to adhere to this approach in running the 
Conference in the coming week. 
 
 We have ahead of us just over four full days  of serious negotiations - in my estimation about 
100 working hours. For Hong Kong to be the important staging post we intend it to be, we must use this time wisely. The draft text provides a reasonabl e foundation; our task must be to build on it, to 
raise the level of agreement in the various nego tiating areas across the board and to agree on a clear 
roadmap for work in 2006. In particular, I wish to work with you to secure as many tangible results as 
we can on development-related issues at this meeting.    The middle name of DDA is Development. It is there as a matter of deliberate choice.  At Doha we chose development as the guiding philosophy of this ninth round of multilateral negotiations 
because we believe that trade is an engine of growth , and that it must work for development. What we 
are seeking to do is to help developing economies be tter integrate into the global system so that they 
too can reap the benefits of free and open trade.  Let us remind ourselves of this as we set the 
direction of our work for this week.   Poverty reduction is a priority objective for us all.  And trade can stimulate the economic 
growth that is necessary to boost incomes and prov ide access to food through imports.  In promoting 
open trade, we must not, of course, neglect the imme diate pains of adjustment which all of us must 
face when cosy protective arrangements come to an end, and comfortable subsidies are removed.  However, experience shows that the appropriate res ponse to this challenge is not to shy away from 
open trade, or to decelerate reforms.  Rather, the response should be to introduce reforms in an orderly 
manner compatible with the particular ci rcumstances of individual economies.   
 
 Before I close, I would like to say a few words about how I see my role as Chair of this 
Conference.  I see myself as an honest broker who w ill spare no effort in helping to bridge gaps 
between different Members.  I will also ensure that the meeting is open, transparent and inclusive.  
This will apply not just to the negotiation process.  It will be th e guiding principle of the entire 
Ministerial Conference.   
  Hong Kong is a free and open society, accustomed to lively debate and happy to embrace diverse views. In keeping with this spirit, we have  sought to provide the best possible environment for 
the media and non-government organizations at this conference.  For the first time in WTO  WT/MIN(05)/12 
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 history, not only the Media, but also the NGOs are housed under the same roof as conference 
delegates in the Convention Centre complex.  I am sure this will help members of the media and civil 
society to stay in close touch with delegates, and to feel the pace and rhythm of the Conference as we 
progress.    
 Let me once again welcome you all to Hong Kong,  and to the Sixth Ministerial Conference of 
the WTO.  We have, as the Chief Executive reminded us, an opportunity to do some serious good. When we leave this magnificent venue on Sunday, we must have taken an important step towards the 
successful conclusion of the Round. So let us re kindle the spirit of unity and collective resolve 
displayed at Doha, when we first rose to the challe nge and launched this Round.  And let us show the 
world that the WTO is alive and well, and is fully capable of delivering results that matter to people 
everywhere.   
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