Still, differences remained over how much Beijing can subsidise its farmers, and other issues including trading rights, distribution and insurance market access, he said. The next round of high-level multilateral talks in Geneva from June 28 to July 4 would signal whether a deal was within reach. Even if China and the US work out their differences, the WTO must draft a complicated accession protocol that could take three to six months, officials said. Failure to clinch a deal swiftly could throw China's reform agenda into doubt, as political changes in Beijing loom. China will reshuffle its leadership beginning next year, raising the possibility the government may be too occupied with change to pursue WTO entry or the new leaders might even turn their back on the commitment to join, analysts said.
Several leaders are due to step down from their posts next year.
This story has been viewed 201 times. The Taipei Times. All rights reserved.