China is firmly committed to the multilateral trading system and will continue to participate actively in the Doha Round of trade negotiations, a senior Chinese official said in Geneva on Wednesday.

"China is a firm proponent and upholder of the multilateral trading system, and China attaches great importance to the ongoing Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations," said Vice Commerce Minister Yi Xiaozhun.

Addressing the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s first trade policy review of China, Yi said the multilateral trading system represented by the WTO had played an irreplaceable role in improving the stability and predictability of the international trade environment.

"China is, therefore, firmly committed to the multilateral trading system and will continue to participate in all WTO undertakings in a constructive and steadfast manner," he said.

The Chinese official said the Doha Round must place the theme of development at its heart, and urged the developed members to take more responsibilities so that the multilateral trading system could reflect the trade interests of all members in a more balanced manner.

He also called on all WTO members to redouble their efforts in trying to move forward the Doha Round negotiations at this crucial juncture, and to deliver faithfully and comprehensively the mandate of development in order to benefit people from all over the world.

The Doha round of trade talks was launched by WTO members in 2001, with the aim of cutting subsidies, customs duties and other barriers to trade and using commerce to boost the economies of developing countries.

The round was originally meant to end in 2004, but governments missed that deadline because of persistent bust-ups.

A new deadline was set in Hong Kong last December to conclude the round by the end of this year, but members have yet to agree on such tough issues as agriculture subsidies and tariff cuts.

Source: Xinhua