Top trade negotiators from China and the United States had a three-hour-long meeting this morning (November 10) in Beijing in a new round of negotiations on China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky and US President Bill Clinton's Chief Economic Advisor Gene Sperling, met with Shi Guangsheng, minister of foreign trade and economic cooperation (MOFTEC), and Long Yongtu, deputy MOFTEC minister and China's chief trade negotiator.

They ended their small-scale morning session of talks at 13:30 pm Beijing.

Before the meeting officially started, the Chinese team of negotiators of about 20 members, and the US team of negotiators of about a dozen members held a 20-minute preliminary meeting.

It is still not clear whether they have striked any consensus, to what extent their difference exist, or when the next session of talks will begin.

However, a MOFTEC official said on condition of unanimity that he was optimistic about the current round of talks.

Barshefsky and the US team arrived in Beijing Tuesday night for the new round of WTO talks with China.

A telephone conversation between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his US counterpart Bill Clinton jump-started the high-profile talks.

China has tried for 13 years to enter the WTO. In September, China and the US agreed to resume their discussions.

Following subsequent talks late September in Washington, MOFTEC Minister Shi Guangsheng said his meeting with Barshefsky was "beneficial" and "constructive."

(Xinhua)