Chen Deming on Protectionism in La Repubblica

意大利《共和国报》刊登陈德铭部长署名文章《中国言行一致反对保护主义》
2009-07-06 14:43  文章来源：商务部新闻办公室
文章类型：原创  内容分类：新闻

　　7月6日，意大利《共和国报》刊发了商务部长陈德铭的署名文章《中国言行一致反对保护主义》，全文如下：

中国言行一致反对保护主义

中国商务部部长 陈德铭


　　开放的贸易和投资体系是促进世界经济增长的重要动力。当前世界经济出现企稳迹象，但前景仍然有很大不确定性。继续坚定不移地反对保护主义，推进市场开放，保持贸易和投资渠道畅通，对世界经济能否巩固复苏势头至关重要。

　　中国是经济全球化重要参与者和受益者。反对保护主义，中国绝不是空喊口号、徒做姿态。目前，中国关税总水平为9.8%，其中农产品平均税率为 15.2%，仅为世界平均水平的1/4。2002—2008年，中国累计从世界进口了4.8万亿美元商品，年均增速达到25.1%，进口增量占世界同期的近9%。中国已成为世界第三大进口国。截至2008年底，中国实际利用外资超过8500亿美元，现存运营外资企业约28万家，绝大多数实现盈利。在汽车、手机、化妆品、家电等重要消费品领域，外国品牌和进口产品分别占据了中国市场70%、75%、75%和50%的份额。

　　在应对金融危机过程中，中国政府始终奉行互利共赢的开放战略，积极主动加强与世界各国的经贸合作，维护多边贸易体制，同舟共济、共克时艰。在已经实施的刺激经济计划中，中国遵守WTO相关规定，平等对待国内外产品，为外国企业提供了大量商机。今年以来，中国还先后组织多个投资贸易促进团赴欧美，扩大对相关国家的进口和投资贸易合作，以实际行动表明中国反对保护主义的鲜明立场。

　　近期，一些西方媒体报道中国将在经济刺激计划中实行所谓“购买中国货”的政策，认为中国转向保护主义。这是一种误解。前不久，中国政府有关部门为了规范政府采购行为，依据中国的《政府采购法》，重申了财政性资金的政府采购应优先购买本国产品的原有规定，针对的主要是部分地方在招标采购中歧视本国产品的做法。规定所指的本国产品也包括依法在中国设立的外商投资企业产品。事实上，中国经济刺激计划中的大量投资是社会投资，许多外国企业正在从中国实行的积极扩大内需的宏观经济政策中受益。例如，为了扩大农村消费，中国政府以财政补贴的方式鼓励农民购买家电，不少外资品牌的产品就在这项被称为 “家电下乡”的政策中中标入围，享受了中国政府的支持政策。中国目前尚非WTO《政府采购协议》成员，上述相关规定没有违背国际义务。中国政府也愿意进一步对外开放政府采购市场，希望有关成员能够本着灵活务实的态度，降低要价，为中国早日加入《政府采购协议》创造条件。
　
　　我要特别指出的是，并不是中国在搞贸易保护主义，中国恰恰是贸易保护主义的最大受害者。据WTO统计，2008年中国遭遇反倾销调查73起、反补贴调查10起，分别占全球案件总数的35%和71%，是全球遭遇贸易救济调查最多的成员。今年上半年，中国遭受的反倾销、反补贴、保障措施和特殊保障措施等贸易救济调查多达58起，涉案金额超过80亿美元。中国不会以贸易保护对抗贸易保护，但我们强烈呼吁世界各国恪守各国领导人多次做出的共同反对贸易保护主义的郑重承诺，不要让于事无补的贸易保护主义延缓世界经济复苏的步伐。

　　意大利是中国在欧盟的重要经贸伙伴之一，2008年双边贸易达383亿美元。中意两国经济有很强的互补性，意大利工业设计、创意产业、时尚产业世界领先，拥有众多著名品牌。中国基础制造成本低，配套体系完整，正加速推进传统产业升级改造。两国合作潜力巨大。在金融危机影响仍在继续、世界经济复苏前景还不确定的形势下，凝聚共识，携手合作，以实际行动抵制贸易和投资保护主义，这对双方和全世界都是十分有益的。我们应当以胡锦涛主席对意大利的成功访问为契机，推动两国业界积极行动起来，把机遇变成实实在在的合作成果，促进中意经贸合作再上新台阶。

Green Dam-equipped PC shipped by Sony

Sony has started shipping PC pre-installed with Green Dam but included a disclaimer on the software with the machine.

Green Dam postponed

工业和信息化部新闻发言人就绿色上网过滤软件问题答记者问
【发布时间:2009年06月30日】 【来源：新华社】 【字体：大 中 小】

　　  ６月３０日，工业和信息化部新闻发言人就绿色上网过滤软件问题，回答了记者的提问。

　　  一、为什么要开展绿色上网过滤软件工作？这项工作的目的是什么？

　　  互联网淫秽色情等有害信息问题已引起社会的广泛关切，我国政府有关部门开展了依法打击网络淫秽色情专项行动，但网上淫秽色情等有害信息仍然存在。社会各界尤其是广大师生、学生家长要求政府有关部门采取有效措施，营造绿色健康的网络环境。

　　 为了保护未成年人免受网络淫秽色情等有害信息的影响，工业和信息化部依据《全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于维护互联网安全的决定》、《中华人民共和国未成年人保护法》等法律规定，顺应社会各界要求，在有关部门的支持下，于５月１９日发文，要求在我国境内生产销售和进口销售的计算机预装“绿坝－花季护航 ”绿色上网过滤软件。这一工作遵照《中华人民共和国政府采购法》规定程序，以国家出资购买的方式向社会提供免费使用，目的就是为了从源头上防范有害信息对未成年人的影响。

　　保护未成年人免受网上淫秽色情等有害信息影响，是世界各国的共识。很多国家都不同程度地采取了法律、技术等多种手段，为未成年人提供安全的上网环境。今年世界电信和信息社会日的主题就是“保障儿童网上安全”。

　　营造绿色健康的网络环境，防止未成年人受到淫秽色情等有害信息毒害，政府部门和全社会都有责任和义务。这个方向是正确的，是不容置疑的。

　　二、绿色上网过滤软件免费下载，在中小学校、网吧等公共场所安装使用的情况和效果如何？

　　绿色上网过滤软件的推广主要采用了网络自由下载、首先在中小学和网吧安装使用等方式。２００９年４月，教育部联合财政部、工业和信息化部、国务院新闻办共同发文，部署全国中小学校园计算机终端安装使用“绿坝－花季护航”过滤软件。截至２００９年５月底，“绿坝－花季护航”软件累计实现下载７１７．２５万次，校园安装使用数量达到２６１．８万台，网吧推广装机量达到４６９．９２万台。经第三方机构测试，“绿坝－花季护航”软件对有害信息的拦截率达到９０％。软件使用简单，维护便捷，受到了广大师生和学生家长的好评，呼吁政府有关部门在更大范围内推广。

　　三、这次绿色上网过滤软件采购是否符合政府采购的有关规定？是否符合ＷＴＯ的相关规定？

　　工业和信息化部严格按照《政府采购法》有关规定，遵循公开、公平、公正、无排他性和自觉接受监督的原则，面向社会公开征集绿色上网过滤软件。又历经测试、评审等环节，最终确定了中标产品和采购金额。采购的内容除产品使用权外，还包括软件适应性改造、提供免费下载安装和升级以及建立呼叫中心和网上答疑等多项技术支持和售后服务内容。此次政府采购符合程序，公开透明，全程是在有关部门的严格监督下进行的。

　　 《政府采购法》中明确规定，政府采购应采购本国货物、工程和服务。采购过程公开透明、程序严谨。绿色上网过滤软件有关工作是一项公益行为，不涉及技术、标准和贸易关系，符合ＷＴＯ的相关规定。

　　四、预装绿色上网过滤软件是否强制用户使用？是否会对用户的信息、上网行为形成监控？

　　绿色上网过滤软件是计算机终端的内容过滤软件，主要采用内容过滤技术实现对互联网淫秽色情等文本和图像信息的过滤功能，避免未成年人受互联网淫秽色情等有害信息毒害。无论是通过网络免费下载，还是在计算机中预装，用户均可自由选择安装、卸载，自主启用、关闭软件各项功能。该软件根本没有收集用户信息、监控上网行为的功能。

　　境外少数媒体和机构就此事进行不实报道，指责此举妨碍信息自由流动、侵犯个人隐私等，这些言论是没有根据的，也是不负责任的。

　　五、绿色上网过滤软件的安全性如何？目前和未来出现的安全隐患如何解决？

　　绿色上网过滤软件在开发过程中已充分考虑到软件安全性问题，并多次委托第三方测试机构进行了测试。以补丁、升级等方式解决使用中发现的各种缺陷是软件厂商的通行做法。绿色上网过滤软件供应商已针对前期使用过程中反映的技术问题进行了升级，还将在后续推广应用中持续对软件进行升级和完善。欢迎社会各界提出进一步完善的建议。

　　六、“绿坝－花季护航”软件是否有涉嫌侵权的行为？

　　工业和信息化部高度重视和充分尊重软件知识产权。在绿色上网过滤软件谈判文件中，明确要求供应商应提供具有合法知识产权的软件产品参与投标，在签订合同时也明确要求其应具有合法知识产权。供应商做出了公开声明和郑重承诺。今后如有知识产权纠纷问题，将依照相关法律处理。

　　七、有些厂商提出，绿色上网过滤软件预装起始日期是７月１日，时间仓促，准备不足。这个时间表是否可以推迟？

　　我部于２００９年３月初召集了主要厂商就计算机过滤软件预装工作进行了交流，得到了众多计算机厂商的支持，在沟通的基础上确定了预装起始日期。近来，一些企业提出工作量大、时间仓促、准备不足。根据实际情况，可以推迟预装。本着坚持方向、分步实施的原则，７月１日后继续提供网络免费下载，继续在用于中小学校、网吧等公共场所的计算机上安装过滤软件，鼓励已装过滤软件的计算机厂商积极开拓市场。其他计算机如何预装，工业和信息化部将进一步征求各方意见，完善方案，改进方法，做好相关工作。

　　营造绿色健康网络环境，保护我国未成年人健康成长是一项艰巨的长期的任务，需要全社会给予更多的关心和支持。欢迎社会各界多提建设性意见，并对我们的工作给予支持帮助和批评监督。
　　

Green Dam - more

China's Green Dam filter vulnerable - researchers

Fri Jun 12, 2009 8:59am BST

BEIJING (Reuters) - A software filter mandated by the Chinese government leaves users vulnerable to malicious sites that might steal personal data or install code on the personal computer, researchers at the University of Michigan found.

China has mandated that the "Green Dam" software be preinstalled on all new computers made or shipped by July 1, saying that the move will protect children against pornography.

Many schools have already installed it. U.S. industry associations representing computer manufacturers have asked China to reconsider the requirement, based on concerns ranging from cyber-security and performance of the software to Internet freedoms.

Web sites can exploit vulnerabilities in the software to take control of the computer, according to a report by Scott Wolchok, Randy Yao and J Alex Halderman of the University of Michigan.

"This could allow malicious sites to steal private data, send spam, or enlist the computer in a botnet," said the report (www.cse.umich.edu/~jhalderm/pub/gd/).

"In addition, we found vulnerabilities in the way Green Dam processes blacklist updates that could allow the software makers or others to install malicious code during the update process."

Green Dam filters words and images, as well as web addresses.

Once installed, the program automatically closes Microsoft browser Internet Explorer if the user tries to access a blacklisted site, including those belonging to banned spiritual group Falun Gong, according to a user who is testing it.

Meanwhile, Chinese education departments are pressing ahead with installing the program, state media said.

About 4 million computers at all the 1,500-some primary and secondary schools in Shanghai will be equipped with Green Dam by the end of this month in order to block access to pornographic and vulgar software, the Xinhua news agency said on Friday.

About 48 percent of teenagers have visited porn Websites, Xinhua said, citing a survey released by the Chinese Youth Research Centre last month.

(Reporting by Lucy Hornby; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

© Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. Users may download and print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and non-commercial use only. Republication or redistribution of Thomson Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters and its logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Thomson Reuters group of companies around the world.

路透：中国国内电脑市场——绿坝的真正阻碍

(2009-06-30)中国最新推出的网络管制措施遭到了人权活动家和美国的质疑，但“绿坝”软件面临的真正困难可能来自于中国国内的电脑市场。

　　政府要求周三起所有电脑必须预装过滤软件“绿坝”，这一命令看起来很容易执行，但在中关村走一遭你就会发现，那里有很多卖电脑、软件——还有黄色光盘的人，这一计划的落实还面临很多困难。

　　关于绿坝，这里很多卖电脑软件的零售商要麽是不清楚它为何物，要麽就是觉得没什麽大不了。

　　在海龙大厦，一个卖戴尔笔记本电脑的20多岁的女子吴葆宝（音）反问到：“绿坝是什麽？”

　　“7月1号以後你要买电脑的话就会有这麽一个软件，” 她问完旁边店铺的销售人员後说到，“但别担心……我们可以很轻松地把它给卸下来。”

　　多年来跨国集团一直对中国政府打击盗版软件不力感到不满，但现在看来，这个缺乏监管的市场也有可能让政府头疼，绿坝最终的命运可能是被扫入垃圾箱，或者被束之高阁。

　　“绿坝计划严重破坏了市场规则。政府不应该强制推行某种品牌的软件，” 人民大学公共政策领域的教授毛寿龙在中关村路边说到，“但实际上的影响很有限。人们可以自愿选择，而且市场细分到如此程度，你也没法轻松控制住它。大公司 会遵守命令，但谁能指挥得动数千家小公司呢？”

　　中国“矽谷”

　　毗邻北京多家大学的中关村号称是中国的“矽谷”，微软、谷歌等众多IT巨头都在这里设有实验室或办公室。

　　中关村电子产品贸易商会告诉路透，这里有3,147家注册在案的电子产品零售商，去年个人电脑销量达240万部。但这还不包括很多没有注册的店铺。

　　现在这里比几年前干净多了，卖盗版软件的人也不那麽明目张胆了，但肯定还是有。

　　在中关村路边，你会看到一些抱小孩的、仪容不整的女子，装作若无其事地经过你的身边，飞快地在你耳边小声问你要不要盘。抱小孩是为了避免警察搜身。

　　跟着一个女人快速穿过堆满砖头的肮脏的小巷，成堆的色情光盘便会出现在你面前。

　　矽谷电脑城的销售人员杨福英（音）说，生意太不好做了，都来不及多想政府的绿坝计划。

　　“年中通常是淡季，经济危机一来就更糟糕了，” 他说，“我们会告诉顾客软件的事，但我觉得没什麽影响。你可以要麽卸了它要麽扔了它，那又能怎麽样呢？”

　　来源：路透社

《联合早报网》
（编辑：杨丽娟

Green Dam discussion at IELP blog

The PC Filtering Software Issue

From USTR:

Today U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk sent a joint letter to their counterparts in China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) urging China to revoke a proposed rule (Circular 226) that would mandate that all computers produced and sold in China pre-install a widely-criticized Chinese Internet filtering program called Green Dam. This proposed measure is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2009.

The letter points out that the proposed new rule raises fundamental questions regarding regulatory transparency and notes concerns about compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, such as notification obligations. Locke and Kirk also listed for MIIT Minister Li Yizhong and MOFCOM Minister Chen Deming numerous concerns raised by global technology companies, Chinese citizens, and the worldwide media about the stability of the software, the scope and extent of the filtering activities and its security weaknesses. All of these problems have serious implications for consumers and businesses

"China is putting companies in an untenable position by requiring them, with virtually no public notice, to pre-install software that appears to have broad-based censorship implications and network security issues," Locke said.

"Protecting children from inappropriate content is a legitimate objective, but this is an inappropriate means and is likely to have a broader scope. Mandating technically flawed Green Dam software and denying manufacturers and consumers freedom to select filtering software is an unnecessary and unjustified means to achieve that objective, and poses a serious barrier to trade," Kirk said.

Both U.S. government officials offered China an opportunity to exchange views with U.S. and Chinese government and industry officials on ways in which parental control software can be promoted in the market consistent with the goals of user choice, system reliability, freedom of expression, and the free flow of information.

The USTR press release doesn't say much about the legal theory, and the letter that is mentioned has not, as far as I know, been made public.  So what is the legal claim?  The WSJ explains it as follows:

U.S. officials argue the tight deadline for implementing the software requirement constitutes an unfair trade barrier. PC makers have expressed concerns about being able to meet the July 1 start date.

Foreign and domestic PC makers in China are required to begin shipping computers with the software on July 1, so the U.S. would have to show Chinese manufacturers had more notice or information to meet that deadline for a WTO complaint to succeed.

More from Bloomberg here. 

Posted by Simon Lester on June 24, 2009 at 06:06 PM | Permalink

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Comments

Joe said...

So, how many computers sold in the US are produced in China? Would computers sold here to US consumers come pre-installed with Chinese software?

Reply June 25, 2009 at 06:41 AM

Julia Qin said...

There is a WTO-plus obligation of China in the Accession Protocol that may serve as a legal basis for the US complaint: China is required to "provide a reasonable period for comment to the appropriate authorities before [new] measures are implemented". The Green Dam rule was made public in early June, and the implementation date is July 1. The less-than-a-month period is probably not reasonable.

Reply June 25, 2009 at 09:12 PM

Henry Gao said...

I think there are at least two possible legal claims:
1. MFN. The software only has Windows version and doesn't have a Mac version. This means either Apple computers can be sold in China without pre-installing the software, or that Apple computers cannot be sold in China at all. Either way it's a violation of MFN;
2. Domestic content requirement: As the software is a domestically produced in China, requiring it in imported products would amount to a domestic content requirement in violation of TRIMS.

Reply Edit Delete The time to edit this comment has expired. June 25, 2009 at 11:05 PM

First insider appointed to the AB

The DSB appointed on the 19th two new AB members. One is Prof. Peter Van den Bossche, currently teaching Law at Maastricht University. When he assumes the office in December, he will be the first AB Member who has worked inside the AB Secretariat before - he was Counsellor and at one time Acting Director of the AB Secretariat from 1997 to 2001. It would be interesting to see whether his prior experience at the ABS would have any impact on his jurisprudence as an AB Member.

Will the US bring a complaint in the WTO?

US lodges China censorship complaint

By Richard Waters and Joseph Menn in San Francisco and Daniel Dombey in Washington and Kathrin Hille in Beijing

Published: June 21 2009 22:31 | Last updated: June 21 2009 22:31

The US has complained officially to China over its strict new internet censorship rules as tension builds over an issue causing consternation among international technology companies and Chinese internet users.

The development is a rare direct intervention by the US over internet freedom, which has steadily risen in importance as an issue between the two countries in recent years. US technology companies see it as a back-door way of keeping them out of the Chinese market.

China has ordered PC makers to load internet filtering software from a Chinese company, Green Dam, on all machines on sale from July 1. The order, officially directed at filtering pornography, could give officials far more power to block political content as well.

"We view with concern any attempt to restrict the free flow of information," said Ian Kelly, a State department spokesman.

"Efforts to filter internet content are incompatible with China's aspirations to build a modern, information-based economy and society."

The US embassy in Beijing said representatives had met officials at the ministry of industry and information technology and the ministry of commerce on Friday.

"We are concerned about Green Dam both in terms of its potential impact on trade and the serious technical issues raised by the use of the software," Mr Kelly said. "We have asked the Chinese to engage in a dialogue on how to address these concerns."

Chinese officials took action against Google last week, ordering the search company to block access to international sites.

Beijing claimed the action was a punishment for linking to pornographic material, but US internet executives say it was designed to direct public anger against a foreign service and distract attention from the Green Dam affair. Google has recently gained ground in China on local rival Baidu.

Silicon Valley began to argue for internet censorship to be treated as a trade issue three years ago after Google and Yahoo were publicly embarrassed over accommodations made with Beijing to be allowed to operate in China.

US technology companies have lobbied hard with the State and Commerce departments, and the US trade representative since the Green Dam order.

Solid Oak, a California software company, has sent "cease and desist" letters warning PC companies not to use the Green Dam software which, it says, uses code copied from its own filtering product.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009

WTO Chairs Programme

The WTO has recently established a WTO Chairs Program to support WTO-related research and teaching activities in developing countries. While the deadline for the first round of call for proposals has expired on May 29th, similar opportunities might be offered in the future. Interested readers can find out more about the background of the program and application guidelines here. I'm honored to serve as a member of the Advisory Board of the programme.

Capitalists are not the only greedy ones

The WSJ recently reported that the DPRK asked the ROK for more payment to maintain an industrial complex that the South Koreans are operating within the territory of North Korea to help the North to develop their economy faster. If history is any guide, we should not be surprised at the behavior of the North Koreans. Incidentally, as products manufactured in Kaesong have been given preferential tariff under some of the FTAs signed by the ROK, this could be challenged as illegal under WTO Law.  Not that the North Koreans would care, but it would be interesting to watch how the North Koreans would react in such a case.

Pyongyang Raises Ire On Industrial Complex

By EVAN RAMSTAD and SUNGHA PARK

SEOUL -- North Korea told South Korea on Thursday it wants to be paid more to keep open a joint industrial complex on its side of the inter-Korean border. The North's most recent demands came amid rising global tensions due to Pyongyang's tests of missiles and a nuclear device earlier this year. The United Nations Security Council is expected as early as Friday to call for expanded sanctions and inspections.

Bloomberg News

North Korean women working at the Kaesong Industrial Complex.

The money sought by North Korea would make the Kaesong Industrial Complex far more expensive to run and likely wipe out its economic attractiveness to the South Korean companies that have factories there.

But North Korea also said it intended to keep the complex going and would keep talking to the South, a departure from the invective it has heaped on South Korea's government for the past 15 months.

In Thursday's meeting at Kaesong, North Korea set out three demands: a one-time payment of $500 million to use its land at the complex for 50 years, housing for 15,000 workers, and a shift in the start date for annual land-use fees to 2010 from 2015.

Pyongyang also wants to raise the $75 monthly per-worker payment that South Korean manufacturers pay to $300. The two countries refer to that as a salary payment, but the money goes to the North Korean government and it is unknown how much is then paid to individual workers.

"The figures are the initial proposal," said Kim Young-tak, director-general of the complex and leader of the South Korean delegation at the meeting. "Through discussion, we can get closer." The Kaesong complex opened in 2004 and has been the key reason for the growth of trade between the two countries, which amounted to $1.82 billion last year. At present, 106 South Korean companies operate small factories in Kaesong that employ about 39,000 North Koreans.

North Korea last year began imposing restrictions on Kaesong, threatening its viability, in retaliation for South Korea's decision to link other economic assistance to the scaling back of the North's nuclear-weapons development.

South Korean officials didn't reject the North's demands and said they will meet again with North Korean officials June 19.

Mr. Kim said South Korea pushed the North for information about a South Korean worker who was arrested at the complex on March 30 and hasn't been seen since. The North's delegation said the man was "fine" but didn't elaborate. "We emphasized that the detention of our worker is a fundamental issue," Mr. Kim said.

The economic viability of the complex has never been clear. South Korea guarantees a portion of the losses that its manufacturers experience at the facility. Over the past two years, a productivity gap emerged as the growth of factories and workers in Kaesong outpaced the growth in the value of production at the facility.

Write to Evan Ramstad at evan.ramstad@wsj.com and SungHa Park at sungha.park@wsj.com