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6th WTO Ministerial Conference opens in HK
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-12-13 15:22
Ministers from 149 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) gathered
here Tuesday afternoon to open the Sixth Ministerial Conference in a new bid to
push forward the stalled Doha Round trade talks.
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Donald
Tsang said at the opening session that the meeting is a "once in a generation
chance" to enhance the international trade system.
The meeting, attended by 5,800 delegates from WTO's 149 members and 2,100
representatives from non-governmental organizations at the Convention and
Exhibition Center, will focus on the topics of the Doha Round, which aims to
reduce farm subsidies and tariffs, liberalize service trade and provide economic
aids to developing countries.
Launched in the Qatari capital in 2001, the Doha Round bogged down in a
deadlock over farm subsidies, which pitted mainly rich countries against poor
ones.
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