BIZCHINA / Center
Talks start over gov't contracts
By Jiang Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-05-17 06:40
China will start negotiations about joining a global organization that
will allow its firms to bid for government contracts around the world.
Yu Guangzhou, China's vice-minister of commerce, said yesterday the
country would join the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) by the end
of next year.
When China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, it promised to
initiate negotiations for membership in the GPA "as soon as possible."
The GPA allows companies from any member economies to bid for government
procurement contracts in other member economies.
Yu said China had carried out a series of measures to prepare the way for
joining the GPA.
China has issued the Government Procurement Law and relevant regulations
as the basis of the country's procurement system.
The government is also trying to improve transparency in government
procurement, the vice-minister said.
"In all sectors that have so far been opened to foreigners, non-Chinese
suppliers enjoy the same opportunities as local firms when they compete
for government projects," he said.
The country has also begun talking to GPA members.
It recently began a series of technical co-operation activities with the
European Union in a bid to provide both sides with a better understanding
of each other's procurement policies.
"The European Union is a major trading partner and China has become our
second largest supplier, so opening up our government procurement markets
to each other's suppliers would be a natural extension of these
developments," said Charlie McCreevy, the European Commissioner
responsible for the internal market.
However, the country still faces a number of problems before it can join
the GPA.
Yu said China's government procurement system was not as complete as in
certain Western countries.
China's legal framework is not good enough, and the sector lacks
specialists and complete operational mechanisms.
China should open the government procurement market gradually, suggested
Feng Chun, an expert with the Central University of Finance and Economics.
He said the timetable for opening up would vary according to different
regions and different industries.
The government should also pay attention to the protection of domestic
companies at the same time as opening up the market, Feng said.
Government procurement is a significant part of a national economy,
covering a range of sectors, such as commodity trade, service trade and
public works.
(China Daily 05/17/2006 page9)
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
Most Popular Stories in 48 Hours
� Cities may alleviate housing woes
� Rural labor shortage beginning to be felt
� Xie Qihua: Made of Steel
� ICBC to open subsidiary in Moscow
� Good news in desertification control
Today's Top News
� Russia, China close ranks in Central Asia
� China emerging from shadows of AIDS
� Court hears last appeal for fugitive Lai
� Taiwan's 'security report' hurts peace
� Yangtze river 'cancerous' with pollution
Top Biz News
� Carrefour keeps pace with expansion
� In real-estate market, small now beautiful
� New moves to steer car sector stability
� Water consumption for per unit of GDP to drop 30%
� China, Japan start forum on energy saving cooperation
Alibaba is the largest B2B marketplace in the world. Source model ship,
wooden puzzle, one-piece toilet, RC hovercraft, photo album, prom dress,
pocket bike, Vaginal Speculum, Samurai Sword, String Panty and PVC Pipe.
Learn Chinese online
No comments:
Post a Comment