Cambridge has published a new book on "The WTO in the Twenty-first Century: Dispute Settlement, Negotiations, and Regionalism in Asia". I contributed the 19th Chapter on "Reflections on the relationship between WTO negotiations and dispute settlement: lessons from the GATS". More details on the book is available from here.
The APEC has just published a report on "The New International Architecture in Trade and Investment – Current Status and Implications". I contributed by writing the economy paper for China as well as preparing the synthesis report.
This book is part of the outputs for the project on "Capacity Building for the New International Architecture in Trade and Investment" by the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group. For more details, please check here. The whole report is available for download at here.
China kicks off plan to develop big aircraft:
温家宝主持常务会批准大型飞机研制重大专项立项
2007-03-19 17:23 文章来源：中国政府网
文章类型：转载 内容分类：新闻
温家宝主持召开国务院常务会议
原则批准大型飞机研制重大科技专项正式立项
同意组建大型客机股份公司
国务院总理温家宝2月26日主持召开国务院常务会议，听取大型飞机重大专项领导小组关于大型飞机方案论证工作汇报，原则批准大型飞机研制重大科技专项正式立项，同意组建大型客机股份公司，尽快开展工作。
为实施《国家中长期科学和技术发展规划纲要》确定的重大科技专项，国务院成立了大型飞机重大专项领导小组，组织了专家论证委员会独立开展论证，经过6个月的工作，形成了《大型飞机方案论证报告》。
国务院常务会议认为，研制大型飞机是党中央、国务院作出的重大战略决策，也是全国人民多年的愿望。我国航空工业经过50多年的发展，已经具
备发展大型飞机的技术和物质基础。自主研制大型飞机，发展有市场竞争力的航空产业，对于转变经济增长方式、带动科学技术发展、增强国家综合实力和国际竞争
力，加快现代化步伐，具有重大意义。
会议指出，实施研制大型飞机的重大科技专项，是一项复杂的系统工程。必须充分认识这项任务的艰巨性，充分估计可能遇到的困难和风险，以百折
不挠的决心和意志，坚持不懈地努力，完成这一光荣的历史使命。一要加强组织领导，集中力量，合力攻关。各方面要牢固树立全局观念，大力协同、密切配合，各
种资源统筹安排、合理整合。二要坚持高标准、高水平、高质量。在研制、生产和服务的全过程确保飞机的安全性和经济性，提高产品的国际竞争力。三要坚持以我
为主，积极开展国际合作。通过自主创新、集成创新和引进消化吸收再创新，突破关键技术。四要统筹协调大型客机与大型运输机的研制。做到分工合作，成果共
享，避免重复建设，提高投资效益。五要坚持体制机制创新。遵循科学规律和经济规律，面向国内外市场，引入竞争机制，创新管理经营模式。六要充分利用我国航
空工业的现有基础。调动地方、企业的积极性，特别要发挥科研人员的积极性，培养、吸引、凝聚大批优秀科技人才，为大型飞机研制建功立业。
On 11 May 2006, the Commission adopted a Decision requiring Member States to ensure that, from 11 March 2007, cigarette lighters are child-resistant when placed on the EU market. The Decision also prohibits the placing on the market of lighters which resemble objects that are particularly attractive to children; so-called Novelty Lighters. Certain lighters, such as luxury lighters, are excluded from the scope of the Decision based on a number of technical criteria, but must anyway comply with the general safety requirements for these products. In short this means that from 11 March 2007:
Cigarette lighters placed on the EU market must be child resistant
(With the exception of lighters which are sold with a 2 year written guarantee, are refillable and can be repaired by a European-based after-sales service)
Novelty lighters can no longer be placed on the market
(For a definition of novelty lighter, please see the Guidelines)
All lighters must be safe
(This has already been the case since 1992. Lighters which comply with all requirements of ISO9994 are presumed to be safe)
More info is available here.
The Chinese cigarette lighter manufactures are the ones being hit most.
欧盟CR大棒直落 打火机企业奋起自救
2007-03-19 15:09 文章来源：国际商报
文章类型：原创 内容分类：新闻
■新闻提示：欧盟CR(即儿童安全)法案3月11日起正式实施，从即日起，中国出口欧盟市场的一次性打火机必须加装防儿童开启装置，所有的新奇打火机将被禁止进入欧盟市场。由于CR检测费用高，检测周期长，而且CR专利多掌握在欧盟和美国的生产商中，中国打火机企业因此面临前所未有的严峻考验。为应对国外技术壁垒，目前国内一些企业正积极开发具有自主知识产权的专利产品，并寻找国内外市场新的增长点。
记者几个月前采访温州东方轻工实业有限公司总经理李中坚时，他正在为公司自主研发的一款带CR装置打火机通过省级鉴定而奔忙，这位在业界颇有名气的企业老总对新研发产品的自信和应对欧盟CR技术壁垒的从容，给记者留下了深刻的印象。3月11日欧盟正式实施CR法案当天，当记者再次采访到他时，他的自信中又传递出很多新的内容："去年我们已开发出了8款具有自主知识产权的带CR装置的打火机。目前除了欧盟，我们的产品已经更多地销往对打火机质量要求更高的日本以及东南亚地区。另外，在开拓国内市场方面已经迈出了新的步伐。"
CR标准有失公允国内企业经受考验
按照欧盟CR法案规定，自今年3月之后，禁止不符合CR标准的打火机及新奇打火机进入欧盟市场。而打火机要通过CR标准，必须进入西方国家的专门实验室检测。
事实上，欧盟CR法案的影响早就显现了。温州作为我国打火机生产和出口基地，年产金属外壳打火机6亿多只，销量占世界市场份额的80％以上。随着CR标准实施的临近，从去年下半年开始，温州打火机企业接到的欧盟订单就骤然下降了30%左右。
温州的打火机企业认为，欧盟实施的CR标准严重有失公允。因为目前欧盟CR标准还缺乏可操作的实施措施，用温州烟具协会会长周大虎的话说："他们如何执行CR，温州打火机要怎么做？连欧盟官员自己也回答不上来"。
首先，欧盟规定CR装置必须经国际公认的资质机构认证合格后，才能进入欧洲市场，但目前欧盟自己却没有一家CR测试机构，而我国建立的CR实验室又没有得到欧盟的承认，这让众多的中国打火机企业无所适从。其次，每种打火机检测费用为2万美元、检测时间为3至6个月，仅温州就有上万种打火机，这会使企业的生产和经营受到很大影响。另外，打火机"至少能安全使用5年"这一要求，不仅我国企业难以达到，就连有着打火机王国之称的日本企业生产的电子打火装置终极寿命也不过为4万次左右。由此不难看出，欧盟实施CR标准的目的就是要把中国打火机堵在欧洲市场门外。
自主开发专利产品国内企业奋起自救
记者了解到，为了不放弃欧盟市场，在与欧盟据理力争的同时，我国一些有实力的打火机企业已经开始积极研发安全锁，以应对欧盟的CR新规。李中坚告诉记者，仅去年一年东方轻工实业就研制出了8款具有自主知识产权的带CR装置的打火机。
应该说，在目前CR专利多掌握在欧盟和美国的生产商中的情况下，我国企业开发新的安全锁是十分困难的，特别是存在专利障碍。由于打火机装置相对简单，很容易雷同，一旦我国的安全锁与欧盟企业研发的安全锁有80％的相似度，就会面临诉讼的威胁。但李中坚没有被困难所吓倒，他不惜投入巨资，巧妙绕开欧美专利，坚持自主开发带CR装置产品。据悉，目前上述8款新产品均已申请国家专利，有两款正在申请国际专利。鉴于欧盟尚无检测中心，但承认通过美国检测中心的检测结果，该公司已将两款产品报至美国相关检测中心。另据透露，目前公司还有一款针对欧盟CR标准结构优化的打火机正在设计和研制中。
记者还从温州检验检疫局了解到，近期，该局成立的打火机实验室已顺利通过了由商务部和国家质检总局组织的专家组预评审，这也是为迎接欧盟官员再次来温州考核打火机实验室。据悉，去年10月欧委会官员专程来温检验检疫局考察时，根据中欧双方磋商结果，欧委会将于今年三四月份委派欧盟认可组织 (EA)再次对我打火机实验室进行实地考核，以认定中国出口打火机的指定检测机构。
但有专家分析，即使欧盟真的能承认中国的实验室，按照考察、报告等办事程序，得到欧委会批准，最快也要半年以上。
积极寻求新出路多元开拓国内外市场
面对欧盟不断提高的技术壁垒，我国众多的打火机企业也在积极寻求新的发展和出路，很多出口企业已经将目光转向了美国、中东、俄罗斯、日本等市场。同时，有更多的企业将目光瞄向了国内市场。
据温州日丰打火机公司董事长黄发静介绍，该公司从去年5月份开始，就将出口的重点转向美国市场，目前出口美国的打火机已占该公司出口总量的 40%左右。另外，该公司还采取了国内国外市场并重的举措，近日，黄发静就接待了多位来自新疆等地的打火机经销商，洽谈打火机的国内销售事宜。
东方轻工也在积极调整出口经营策略，除了欧美市场外，公司还加大了对日本及东南亚市场的开拓，目前来自这些地区的订单在不断增多。在拓展国内市场上公司更是独辟蹊径，目前公司积极在国内各大中城市和风景名胜区设立销售专柜，在一些高速公路的服务区开辟窗口，并建立售后服务网络。公司还探索与国内一些大的礼品公司联络，开发出适合礼品包装的打火机产品。据介绍，今年公司招聘新员工时，还特别设立了负责国内品牌开发和策划等岗位。
03/14/2007 (Taiwan News)
The World Trade Organization reiterated Monday that it only uses nomenclature that was agreed upon when Taiwan entered the organization in 2001 and that it will continue to do so, refuting allegations that under Chinese pressure, the organization changed Taiwan's official title in a recent international meeting.
According to news reports from Taipei, Taiwan's title was changed to "Taiwan Province of China" in all documents circulated at a global fisheries subsidies meeting held in Geneva March 1-2 under the auspices of the WTO and the United Nations Environment Programme.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately protested Beijing's latest "political plot" to downgrade Taiwan's international status and also called for the WTO to show respect for the rights and interests of every member country of the WTO.
Asked to comment on the controversy, WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell said the complaints arising over the use of nomenclature are based on "a lack of understanding of the facts," as the meeting in question was not a WTO event.
The two-day seminar on "Disciplining Fisheries Subsidies" was co-hosted by the UNEP and the world conservation group WWF, with fishery experts and officials of WTO member states participating.
"The WTO always uses the nomenclature which was agreed upon when Chinese Taipei acceded in 2001, and it will continue to do so," Rockwell stressed.
Taiwan's formal title in the WTO is "the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu," also referred to as "Chinese Taipei."On March 16th, China announced that another 11 vegetables and 8 fishery products from Taiwan will be granted zero tariff when imported into China. I have pointed out two years ago in an interview with Asia Times that such zero tariff violates the MFN rule of the WTO. No WTO Member, however, seemed to have enough interests in these products to bring the issue up in the WTO. The new list includes shrimp, which is a major export items for several countries in Asia. There might be some complaints from them this time.
At the press conference of the 5th session of the 10th NPC on March 12th, Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai indicated that China would not hesitate to take cases to the WTO if bilateral consultations does not work out. Does this mean that China has finally decided to adopt the "Aggressive Legalism" strategy?
My project on "Choice of policy tools in dealing with Sino-Japan trade disputes: A critical study on the practices of China and Japan" has been awarded the FY2006 Grant for Japan-related Research Projects from The Sumitomo Foundation. In this year, 50 grants were selected from among 290 applications made, and mine is one of the only three projects on law.
I went to Gold Coast, Australia from March 8th to 11th for the conference on "Free Trade Agreements: Where Is the World Heading?", an International and Interdisciplinary Conference Hosted by The Faculty of Law of Bond University and Tim Fischer Centre for Global Trade and Finance. At the conference, I presented a paper on "The RTA Strategy of China: A Critical Visit".
