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Chinese Trade Barriers Still Costing Europe, Says MandelsonEurope, 21.09.2009 While tariffs have reduced, Mandelson stresses a need for dialogue, citing 'more invisible barriers' and Europe's costs exceeding the previously estimated €20bn.
The cost to Europe of Chinese trade barriers is growing, Lord Mandelson believes. The business secretary, who today met senior economic officials in Beijing, said he feared China was not fully meeting its World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments.
China has repeatedly warned other countries against protectionism, particularly in light of the economic crisis, but foreign businesses say it is at least as culpable.
Mandelson, who is on a five-day trip to promote UK-Chinese trade, told the Guardian: "We have got a lot out of China in fulfilment of WTO obligations. In the main they have followed them to the letter. But in other cases, I don't think they are keeping to the spirit of their commitments.
"While tariffs have been reduced or have disappeared, more invisible barriers and restrictions and regulatory inhibitions to trade and investment have grown up."
The former EU trade commissioner added: "I have no doubt we have gained. But I have previously estimated that these barriers were costing us [Europe] something in the region of €20bn [£17.5bn] worth of trade – and I think if anything that is growing."
He said it was in everyone's interests for China to continue growing, but continued: "We need a constant dialogue with the government to exert quite legitimate pressure; when we are open to China's goods and services, it must become progressively and more speedily open to ours."
China is increasingly alarmed by moves such as the EU's recently imposed tariffs on steel pipe imports and the United States' consideration of restrictions on Chinese-made tyres. Once any WTO member imposes a China safeguard on imports, others can do so without examining whether their own industries have been affected.
But critics point to China's own failings. Last month, the WTO ruled against Beijing for forcing American media products such as movies and books to be distributed through Chinese state-owned companies, in a move which some believe could set a precedent for other industries and which China may yet challenge.
Mandelson will meet Premier Wen Jiabao tomorrow. Yesterday, Vice Premier Wang Qishan pressed for Britain to push China's bid for formal recognition as a market economy. Beijing believes it is losing out in anti-dumping cases because of its non-market categorisation, agreed when it joined the WTO in 2001.
The business secretary said today he was "disappointed" faster progress has not been made. But asked about the state's role in the Chinese economy, he replied: "Oftentimes you sense or perceive a hidden hand or the influence of the state – in investment decisions, the priority given to exports – which people rightly perceive as giving an unfair advantage; or the way in which the currency is managed as well.
"China would say 'look, we are a big, complex fast-growing economy with many issues and strains … you have got to give us time'. I understand that to an extent, but equally China must understand when we in Europe and elsewhere are being too hard done by – that we don't have the advantages or subsidies or benefits given to us either directly by the state or through a state-influenced banking system or interest-free capital.
"All this will even out over time, but in the meanwhile this is going to spark some tension and some disagreement." Source: Guardian.co.uk - GAI
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