China Joins ITA Talks; Pushes Back Against Expansive Product List

摘要

China late last week joined a small group of countries engaged in intensive technical talks in Geneva aimed at laying down markers for future negotiations to expand the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), and took the opportunity to explain its domestic sensitivities and make the case for more narrowly expanding the deal's product coverage. The meetings last week on Sept. 26-27, hosted by the Canadian mission, marked the first time that China had participated in the small-group talks. Singapore and Switzerland also joined the group for the first time, bringing the total number of participants to 14, according to sources familiar with the meetings.