DATE=11/11/1999 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT TITLE=CHINA-WTO NUMBER=5-44750 BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO DATELINE=BEIJING CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: For the past 13-years, China has been trying to join the World Trade Organization and its predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Beijing has expended a great deal of effort on this issue, but what does it stand to gain? Correspondent Stephanie Ho has this background report from the Chinese capital. TEXT: Under what terms should China be admitted to the W-T-O -- and should it happen in advance of the world trade summit taking place at the end of this month? These are the issues that caused high-level U-S trade negotiators to make a hastily-arranged trip to Beijing to try to reach a last-minute agreement with their Chinese counterparts. Whether and when China will enter the global trade body are still open questions. But one that is more readily answered is why China wants to become a W-T-O member. China's W-T-O supporters believe joining the global trade body would help accelerate reform of China's state sector and attract more foreign investment. At a regular briefing Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue, speaking through an interpreter, said the Chinese government believes W-T- O membership will have a positive effect on the country's economy. // ZHANG INTERPRETER ACT // I think joining [the] W-T-O reflects the needs of furthering the reform and opening up policy. // END ACT // The Chinese spokeswoman added he believes the W-T-O will also benefit from Beijing's membership. // ZHANG INTERPRETER ACT // I also believe the W-T-O also needs China. Without such a big country like China in [the] W-T-O, [the] W-T-O cannot be complete as an organization. // END ACT // The Vice-Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, John Sullivan, says his organization is anxious to see W-T-O membership for China. He believes it is critically important for the 600- American companies in the Chamber. Mr. Sullivan says the group presented a letter Wednesday to Chinese president Jiang Zemin, expressing its belief that China's economy would develop more rapidly within the W-T-O framework. // SULLIVAN ACT // W-T-O is important from the standpoint that it provides, in essence, a road map for progress -- for both Chinese companies and foreign companies that are doing business here in China. // END ACT // He says having these guidelines would help boost investor confidence in China. // SULLIVAN ACT // One of the reasons for that is that it would provide, ultimately, what would be a stable and predictable climate for growth. // END ACT // Mr. Sullivan adds another important aspect for American companies is better access to the Chinese market. // SULLIVAN ACT // It would enable U-S companies to export products to China that, to this point, they would not be able to or it has been difficult for them to do so. // END ACT // Greater access to Chinese markets for foreign telecommunications, auto, and financial-services companies are some issues that remain to be resolved before China joins the W-T-O. Other points of disagreement include textile quotas and anti-dumping measures. (SIGNED) NEB/HO/FC/RAE 11-Nov-1999 07:16 AM EDT (11-Nov-1999 1216 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
