1 China said Thursday its lingering trade dispute with the United States could easily be resolved if only Washington considered China's status as a developing country.
2 'The reason for the current Sino-U.S. dispute, the reason that the dispute is so sharp, is because the U.S. demands are undue and unreasonable,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Chen Jian said at a weekly briefing.
3 The two sides are to resume last-ditch talks next week in efforts to avert a trade war over the issue of China's protection of copyrights, trademarks and patents. Both sides have announced sanctions that would take effect Feb. 26 if an agreement is not reached.
4 The United States wants better enforcement of laws protecting intellectual property rights. China says it already has strengthened protection and that the United States expects too much.
5 'Is it realistic to demand China in a few days to achieve a level (of protection) that is even far above the level of Western developed countries, including the United States?' Chen asked.
6 In a few years, he added, China has accomplished what took countries like the United States decades or even centuries to achieve.
7 China has consistently blamed the United States for the lack of agreement. On Wednesday, a trade ministry spokesman said the United States' 'many unreasonable demands' had prevented agreement in previous talks.
8 Talks in January reportedly deadlocked on China's refusal to improve protection of computer software.
9 U.S. businesses estimate they lose at least dlrs 1 billion a year in sales due to Chinese-made knockoffs of music, films, computer software and other products.
10 On Feb. 4, Washington announced a list of dlrs 1.08 billion in Chinese exports that would be subject to 100 percent tariffs.
11 China threatened 100 percent tariffs on American cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, cosmetics and other products. It also said it would break off discussions with U.S. companies seeking to set up auto, chemical and pharmaceutical operations in China.
12 Chen said the two sides are not in disagreement over the necessity of protecting copyrights, patents and trademarks.
13 'Protection of intellectual property rights is also needed for China to develop its science and economy,' Chen said.
14 He said China has written several new laws in the past two years to strengthen such protection.
15 He did not mention, however, that those laws were written after strong pressure from the United States that included the threat of similar punitive sanctions. A trade war in that case was averted by an eleventh-hour agreement.

The two sides are to resume last - ditch talks next week in efforts to avert a trade war over the issue of China ' s protection of copyrights , trademarks and patents . Both sides have announced sanctions that would take effect Feb . 26 if an agreement is not reached .
agreement
What does each party want for a successful agreement?