Shi Guangsheng, Chinese minister for foreign trade and economic cooperation, raised five proposals for the next round of trade talks at the third ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on December 2, stressing that the interests of developing countries should be respected in the new round.

The five proposals are:

-- The economic development objectives of developing countries and corresponding pattern of gradual market opening should be fully respected.

-- Developed countries should meet their obligations stipulated in the agreements of the Uruguay Round, and improve the market access environment for developing countries.

-- The formulation of new trade rules must have the full involvement of developing countries.

-- The coordination among developing countries should be strengthened, and their collective negotiation ability in the multilateral trading system should be improved.

-- The new round of multilateral trade negotiations should focus on discussing issues related to trade. China holds that those issues that are not related to the functions of the WTO, such as labor standards, should not be incorporated into the agenda.

Trade ministers from 135 WTO members are meeting here to discuss the agenda of the next round of trade talks, the Millennium Round, and try to launch the round at the end of the meeting, which is scheduled to close on December 3.