International Comparison Of Technical Barrier To Trade And Its Policy Inspiration To China's Agricultural Product Trade

With the development of globalization and trade liberalization, the traditional trade tariff is weakening while technical barrier to trade (TBT) is becoming more and more prevalent. As some developed countries enjoy the convenience brought by free trade, they also take the advantage of their advanced technology, management and environmental protection, continually set up all kinds of TBT under the name of technical regulations, quality standards and evaluation program to protect domestic trade and consumers. In recent years, there are many cases that China's agricultural products with traditional export advantages were restricted by irrational TBT, some even lost all their market shares in international competition. Aims at this situation, under the basis of extensive literature review, international comparison and systematic analysis, the study is trying to provide some theory analysis and policy suggestions to help the governments and enterprises to avoid and surpass TBT, at the same time set up China's own TBT with unique Chinese characteristics to protect the rational rights of China's agricultural products in international trade. The theories used in this study include comparative advantages of agricultural products, resource allocation and some hypothesis from welfare economics. With both theory analysis and empirical studies, the thesis makes a comprehensive comparison of TBT policy and regulations in different countries. In consideration of the integration of global economy and agricultural production, consumption and trade in China, the study focuses on problem diagnosis and policy options.The study introduces the origin, current situation and future trend of TBT in detail on the basis ofcomprehensive literature review. Two major export countries (entity)-US and EU, one major importcountry- Japan, and one developing country-India, are chosen as example countries for internationalcomparison. After thoroughly studies the major policy, laws & regulations and major measures for TBTin these countries, deeply analyze the background and reason why these TBT come into use as well astheir impact to domestic and international trade. The thesis also discusses the negative consequence andpotential influence caused by those TBT to China's agricultural trade and what we should learn from thepast cases and experience to protect agricultural production and farmer's benefits. According to thedevelopment of international TBT, the study addresses several major problems existed in China'spreparation for surpass international TBT, which include lagged agricultural R&D, lack of transparentand practical quality standard, disordered technical regulations, nonstandard assessing program, etc. Thestrategies and measures for both governments and enterprises to avoid and surpass TBT under WTOregulations and negotiation mechanism are also initiated: To establish China's own TBT system inaccord with China's agricultural development, to establish standardized production and circulationsystem for agricultural products according to regional arrangement for advantageous agriculturalproducts, to build integrated agricultural administrative system concentrated on the adjustment andimprovement of the structure and quality of agricultural products as well as agricultural R&D. At last,several practical countermeasures for both short term objectives and long term plans are put forward toguarantee China's benefits in international trade, to get the win-win situation in which farmer's incomeincreased while company's efficiency improved.