FTA with China raises hackles in SA

13 Sep '06

2 min read

Proposed Free Trade Agreement with China has raised the hackles in South Australia with the Government fearing deal may hurt local manufacturing sector as it will downsize employment opportunities.

Mike Rann, Premier of South Australia issued a discussion paper and intends to rake the issue up during the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting which is scheduled to be held in February, 2007.

Mark Vaile, the Federal Trade Minister is expecting a detailed agreement covering all products and services even as the sixth round of talks winded in Beijing with China not conceding any ground on the issue of opening its manufacturing and farming markets.

Rann said that taking this issue up for discussion at COAG will allow the leaders to mull over the pros and cons of the FTA especially for manufacturing sector.

He was particularly concerned about the laxity by Chinese in enforcement of intellectual property rights as Australian manufacturers concerned about the volume of Chinese product copies available cheaply in local market.

Even as the debate regarding extent of tariff cuts in sectors like car industry, textile and clothing and footwear rages, the Government has assured that tariff would remain unchanged for these sectors.

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