Commerce minister calls for transparency, inclusiveness in regional trade talks

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said on Friday regional and sub-regional trade negotiations should be transparent and inclusive.

Chen said the United States has been promoting bilateral trade talks, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). China is also in talks with other Asian countries on possible free trade areas.

Chen said China holds an "open attitude" toward such regional and sub-regional negotiations due to a relative lack of success in the Doha multilateral talks.

However, the Doha Development Agenda under the framework of the World Trade Organizations (WTO) should remain the main channel for multilateral trade, Chen said at a press conference held on the sidelines of China's ongoing annual parliamentary session.

Chen said the Doha talks have been dealing with a difficult situation over the last decade.

"The talks are in a very dangerous situation over the past five years when the world was grappling with the financial crisis. They are in need of rescue," Chen said.

Chen said he hopes the progress could be achieved during the ninth WTO ministerial conference scheduled for the end of the year.