Mr. Gao Hucheng, Chinese Minister of Commerce, held talks with Mr. Azevedo, WTO Director-General, in Bali, Indonesia on December 3.

Mr. Gao said that China has been committed to reaching the Early Harvest Agreement at the 9th Session of WTO Ministerial Conference (MC9) so as to complete the Doha Round Negotiations as early as possible and maintain the sound development of WTO，and especially its functions of pushing forward negotiations. To this end China will fully support and work with the Director-General, and will make efforts to reach agreement at MC9.

Mr. Gao said that China has played a positive role in the Early Harvest negotiations, and has showed flexibilities on many major issues, which fully reflects the political will of China to reach equilibrium outcomes. China will continue to play a role as a bridge, and make contributions to reach the agreement.

Mr. Azevedo spoke highly on the cooperation between China and the four major cotton-producing African countries (C4) of Benin, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso under the framework of WTO, and expressed appreciations for China’s positive efforts on the Doha Round Negotiations. He said that negotiations with China in various fields are constructive, and hopes China to continue to play a positive role in the final stage of the Early Harvest of Doha Round Negotiations.

Mr. Yu Jianhua, Representative and Ambassador of China to WTO, and Mr. Wang Shouwen, Assistant Minister of Commerce were present at the meeting.

Mr. Gao and Mr. Azevedo signed the third-phase memorandum on China’s LDCs and Accession Program.

China set up the LDCs and Accession Program in July 2011 under the "Aid for Trade" initiative of WTO. The Program includes financing guarantee for student internships of the Least Developed Countries at the WTO Secretariat and for officials to attend important conferences of the WTO and organizing seminars on major issues of WTO so as to help the Least Developed Countries to join and benefited from the multi-lateral trading system. Two phases of the Program has been well implemented so far, and has won appreciation by all parties.