W T O Issue

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Taiwan Ignored by China and Criticized by US at WTO Meeting
(CNA, Sep. 14, 2003) Beijing has not responded to Taiwan's offer to talk on the sidelines of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico.

China and Taiwan Officials Discuss Trade
(Financial Times; Dec 16, 2002) Trade officials from Taiwan and mainland China have held talks in Geneva for the first time since the rivals joined the World Trade Organisation a year ago.

US Says Serious Problems with China WTO Compliance
(Reuters, Dec. 11, 2002) US said China had made significant progress during its first year in the WTO but slow implementation of commitments to open its farm and services market raised "serious concern."

Beijing Says WTO Talks Conditional on 'One China' Principle
(Taiwan News, Sep. 3, 2002) China will not conduct business talks with Taiwan under the World Trade Organization framework unless the "one China" issue is settled.

China's Trade Faces More Challenges After WTO Entry: Moftec
(Asia Pulse, June 6, 2002) China's imports and exports are confronted with severe challenges in its first year of World Trade Organization (WTO) membership, due to the decline of global economy and the drop in international trade growth.

China Raising New Barriers after WTO Entry, US Claims
(Bloomberg, Feb. 10, 2002) Corporate and government leaders are voicing concern that as China tears down tariff barriers to meet WTO commitments, it is erecting non-tariff barriers to protect industries from a surge of foreign competition. That may prompt the US to challenge China before the Geneva-based WTO.

Taiwan Hopes Cross-Strait Trading Resolves under WTO
(China Post, Feb. 7, 2002) Deng Chen-chung, vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said in Washington that economic and trading disputes between Taipei and Beijing should be resolved under the framework of the World Trade Organization.

Taiwan Enters WTO with Eye on China
(CNN.com, Jan. 1, 2002) With Taiwan formally joining the World Trade Organization on Tuesday, its leaders hoped the diplomatically isolated island could usher in a new era and become a player on the world stage.Taiwan became the 144th member of the WTO, which sets rules on international trade, less than a month after rival China joined.

Long Wait Over as China Joins the WTO
(CNN.com, Dec. 12, 2001) China has ended its 15-year quest to join the World Trade Organization and will officially become a fully-fledged member of the international trading system on Tuesday. Beijing said it would abide by its WTO commitments and send delegates to WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

US Says WTO Not Place for Taiwan, China to Discuss Cross-Strait Politics
(Taipei Times, Nov. 21, 2001) The US State Department's top expert on Asia says that the WTO is not the place for political cross-strait dialogue. James Kelly, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told that trying to add political dialogue to the WTO process would "ruin what we've got."

Beijing Downplays Using WTO for Cross-Strait Issues
(Taiwan Economic News, Nov. 12, 2001) After both Taipei and Beijing secured WTO memberships over the weekend, mainland Chinese officials stressed Sunday that only economic and trade issues of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait can be settled under the WTO framework.

WTO Approves Taiwan's Entry
(Reuters, Nov. 12, 2001) The World Trade Organisation (WTO) approved Taiwan's entry, a day after welcoming China into the trade body, in a move that will increase economic integration between the political rivals. Taiwan is the world's 14th largest trading economy and had sought entry for 12 years

WTO Approves China's Membership After 15-year Quest
(Reuters, Nov, 11, 2001) China completed a 15-year quest to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), bringing a market of 1.3 billion people into the global trading system and changing the way Beijing does business with the world. Ministers of the 142-strong world trade body stood and applauded after approving by acclamation the proposal to admit China, the world's most populous nation and until now a huge missing link in the WTO's membership.

Change Ahead as Taiwan Enters W.T.O.
(New York Times, Nov. 10, 2001) On Sunday, a day after China clears the final hurdle to membership in the W.T.O., Taiwan is scheduled to gain entry, too. The timing is deliberate — part of an intricate dance that allows China and the island it views as a breakaway province to join the club of trading nations almost simultaneously.

MAC Advises Economic Autonomy after WTO
(Taiwan News, Nov. 4, 2001) After Taiwan's entry into the World Trade Organization, Taiwan will still need to maintain a safe distance from China for the purpose of maintaining Taiwan's economic autonomy, said MAC chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen .

APEC Leaders Endorse WTO Entry for Taipei, Beijing
(Taiwan Economic News, Oct. 22, 2001) Leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit issued a joint statement that supports the fight against terrorism, calls for a new round of trade talks and backs World Trade Organization memberships for Taipei and Beijing.

Taiwan to Join WTO in March 2002
(AFP, Sep. 27, 2001) Taiwan is expected to officially become a full member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in March 2002, Vice-Minister of Economic Affairs Steve Chen said. After having secured the approval of a working panel in Geneva, Taiwan's entry has yet to be ratified at the WTO's ministerial meeting set for Qatar in November and then undergo parliamentary deliberation at home.

'One China' Still Dominant Issue
(Taipei Times, Sep. 20, 2001) While WTO entry should strengthen economic ties, an official at China's embassy in the US stressed Beijing's long-held position has not changed.The number-two man in the Chinese embassy in Washington says that Beijing's "one China" principle will continue to dominate cross-strait affairs.

Taiwan Is Cleared for Membership in W.T.O.
(NYT, Sep. 19, 20010 Taiwan won formal clearance to join the World Trade Organization, one day after China received clearance.Admission of both is expected by the end of this year or early 2002.The terms for admitting Taiwan were hammered out almost two years ago, but acceptance of a pact was postponed because of a 1992 understanding that Beijing would be the first to enter.

China, WTO Reaches Final Accord, US Welcomes
(People’s Daily, Sep. 18, 2001) The accord on China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) was approved by the formal meeting of the 18th WTO Working Party on China's accession Monday in Geneva, clearing the way for Beijing to join the world trading body within months.

WTO Agrees China Entry Terms
(Financial Times, Sep. 17, 2001) The World Trade Organisation has successfully concluded negotiations on China's terms of membership, paving the way for the text of the agreement to be adopted formally at November's WTO ministerial conference in Doha, Qatar.

Trade Official Says China Could Join WTO This Year
(Financial Times, July 12, 2001) China could receive approval to enter the World Trade Organisation (WTO) before the end of the year, ending a 15-year effort to join the 141-nation body. Jeffrey Bader, assistant US trade representative, said he expected most of China's entry negotiations would be completed by the end of next week at a "working party" session in Geneva.

U.S., China Reach Consensus on WTO
(Reuters, June 9, 2001) The United States and China said they had reached consensus on issues holding up Beijing's entry to the World Trade Organization and would work toward bringing China into the global trade body by year-end.

Best for China and Taiwan to Join WTO Together, says US
(Straits Times, June 6, 2001) The United States' top trade representative said here yesterday it would be constructive for China and Taiwan to enter the World Trade Organisation in the same session. US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick also said Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian should take part in the Apec summit in Shanghai in October.

China, EU Hold Summit Amid WTO Entry Concerns
(Reuters, Oct. 23, 2000) China and the European Union held a one-day summit on Monday with fears China's entry into the World Trade Organization could be delayed into next year at the top of the agenda. EU leaders gathered in Beijing have said the remaining barriers to China's WTO entry are few, but its accession might be delayed until next year.

Clinton, Signing China Trade Bill, Issues Warning to Beijing
(New York Times, Oct. 11, 2000) President Clinton sent his top trade negotiator to Beijing today to warn China that its efforts to back away from crucial trade concessions threatened the trading rights that it won after a prolonged fight in Congress.

'Customs Territory' is Nixed by Clinton
(Taipei Times, Sep. 8, 2000) US President Bill Clinton has vowed that the US will not accept Beijing's proposal to label Taiwan a "customs territory of China" in documents related to China's entry into the WTO.

China Insists Taiwan Should Join WTO as A Part of China
(AFP, Sep. 7, 2000) China insisted Thursday Taiwan should join the WTO as a part of Chinese territory, raising concerns that China's entry to the trade body could be stalled due to disagreements over the matter. F

WTO No Place for One-China Push: US
(Reuters, July 28, 2000) The United States made it clear yesterday that it would oppose any bid by Beijing to enshrine its one-China policy in an eventual agreement on entry to the World Trade Organisation.

'One China' Issue Clouds WTO Chinese Talks
(Reuters, July 27, 2000) China and the United States appeared at loggerheads on Thursday over a Beijing effort to enshrine its ''one China'' policy into a key text on its eventual entry into the World Trade Organization.

US Approves China Trade Bill
(Financial Times, May 25, 2000) The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted solidly in favour of granting permanent normal trade relations to China, opening a new era of Sino-American relations.

Taiwan Calm, So China Gains in Trade Talks
(New York Times, March 24, 2000) A rare burst of moderation on both sides of the Taiwan Strait has fortified proponents of granting China permanent trading rights in the United States as a Senate committee formally took up the trade measure today. Clinton administration officials said prospects for passage had improved.

President Clinton Begins China Trade Push
(Washington Post, March 9, 2000) President Clinton formally called on Congress yesterday to grant permanent trading privileges to China, igniting a debate that will dominate the House for weeks and determine whether Clinton achieves the highest international priority of his final year in office.

WTO Entry Not Likely Before Taiwan Poll (AFP, Jan. 14, 2000) US legislators visiting China said yesterday that Congress probably would vote on China's accession to the World Trade Organization only after Taiwan's presidential election in March.

Clinton to Press Hill To Back China Deal (Washington Post, Jan. 11, 2000) President Clinton yesterday announced an "all-out effort" to persuade Congress to grant China permanent access to the U.S. market, a key step in White House efforts to bring China into the World Trade Organization.

Taiwan Appeals to Beijing over WTO Entry (AFP, Dec. 5, 1999) Taiwan Economic Minister Wang Chih-kang said Sunday the island may ease its decades-old ban on some direct links with China if Beijing renounces its hostility over issues like its bid to join the World Trade Organisation.

Beijing and Taipei Disagree on Taiwan's WTO Title (China Times, Dec. 1, 1999) A number of high-ranking PRC officials recently presented stipulations for the title by which Taiwan may accede to the WTO, while ROC officials responded that no reason exists to change the current name.

Taiwan May Ease Curbs on Trade with China, Says President (AFP, Nov. 25, 1999) President Lee Teng-hui Thursday extended an olive branch to arch-foe China, saying Taiwan would like to ease its restrictions on trade with the mainland under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) framework.

A Deal That May Transform China (The Christian Science Monitor, Nov. 16, 1999) American officials and Chinese scholars say Beijing's joining the World Trade Organization, which is virtually assured now that the two Pacific powerhouses have signed a pact, could trigger a momentous shift in US-China ties.

China and U.S. Sign Landmark Trade Deal (New York Times, Nov. 15, 1999) American and Chinese trade negotiators announced one of the largest trade deals in American history on Monday, a comprehensive agreement to open China's economy to foreign competitors in return for Beijing's entry into the World Trade

China in the WTO: Time Will Tell
(Asia Pulse, Dec. 13, 2002) Despite numerous technical and operation difficulties, China's performance in meeting its WTO commitments in its first year of membership is quite good on balance, a US China analyst says.

WTO Offers New Hope, Cross-Strait Opportunity for Peace, Official Says By Chris Cockel
(China Post, July 25, 2002) Interaction under the framework of the trading body "should help to fundamentally stabilize bilateral relations in a peaceful and positive way."

China's Opening-up: Can It Be Faster?
(People’s Daily, July 7, 2002) China's accession to the World Trade Organization means this old oriental country will have to open up itself wider and finally integrate with the world market. This is imaginably, or actually for certain people or enterprises, a painful process.

China Must Stick to Reform Plans By Tao I-fen
(Taipei Times, April 2, 2002) With Beijing having entered the WTO and opening its domestic markets, a debate has arisen in Taiwan and abroad about the prospects for China's economy.

WTO Will Increase Taiwan's Reliance on PRC: Barshefsky By Chris Cockel
(China Post, Feb. 14, 2002) Membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will lead to a greater dependence by Taiwan on mainland China, Charlene Barshefsky, former United States Trade Representative (USTR) and recently appointed public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center.

Taiwan to Benefit from PRC in WTO By Billy Chamberlin
(China Post, Jan. 18, 2002) Taiwan remains the most prepared in dealing with the economic rise and World Trade Organization (WTO) accession of mainland China and, therefore, should not be concerned over the issue.

WTO Won't Guarantee Better Foreign Relations By Monique Chu
(Taipei Times, Jan. 6, 2001) Taiwan's accession to the WTO won't necessarily result in a breakthrough for extending Taiwan's external relations as China continues to exert pressure on potential allies.

WTO a Chance to Break Deadlock By Tsai Horng-ming
(Taipei Times, Dec. 31, 2001) Beijing entered the WTO on Dec. 11, while Taiwan will become an official member tomorrow. As WTO members, Taiwan and China will further integrate with the global economy.

WTO Entry Seen as Enabling Resumption of Sino-Taiwan Ties
(Taiwan News, Dec. 15, 2001) The World Trade Organization can serve as a channel for the resumption of political dialogues across the Taiwan Strait. "It (the WTO) permits. But it doesn't compel.

China's W.T.O. Entry Means a New Game With New Rules By Mark Landler
(New York Times, Nov. 17, 2001) To comply with the W.T.O., the Chinese government will have to pass hundreds of new laws on virtually every aspect of commerce. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation has pledged to publish all of them, and says it will not enforce any law that is not published.

China's Leaders Uneasy About WTO Entry By Clay Chandler and Phillip P. Pan
(Washington Post, Nov. 13, 2001) Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji would seem to have every reason to celebrate the conclusion of China's 15-year bid for membership in the World Trade Organization. And yet Zhu is toasting accession warily.

Inauspicious Timing of WTO Entry By Ma Kai
(Taipie Times, Nov. 13, 2001) After entering the WTO, the anticipated export boost will not occur quickly, but import barriers will be immediately lifted -- especially those set up specifically against Chinese products.

Taiwan's New Post-WTO Economy
(Commercial Times, Nov. 12, 2001) The government has repeatedly asserted that joining the WTO will have a limited impact on domestic manufacturing; nonetheless, one must not excessively underestimate the blow that an all-inclusive, perpetual opening of the market will have on the island's industry.

China's Ticket Into WTO Foreshadows Revolution By John Pomfret and Philip P. Pan
(Washington Post, Nov. 11, 2001) China's formal entry into the World Trade Organization yesterday at a meeting in Doha, Qatar, promises to do more than rewrite the rules of the country's freewheeling economy.

China in the WTO: Three Predictions and One Reminder By Edward Gresser
(Straits Times, Nov. 10, 2001) The consequences of this will play out in many different arenas: The domestic Chinese economy, Pacific investment flows, United States-China relations, and elsewhere.

Enter China: WTO Membership Has Important Potential By Charlene Barshefsky
(Washington Post, Nov. 9, 2001) Beijing's relationship with Taiwan is a possible case in point. As both sides join the WTO this week, they will have a new and unique institutional means of discussing economic issues, one that does not raise questions of sovereignty and helps them develop ways to build confidence and find areas of mutual benefit.

China's Entry into WTO Important to Global Community: Barshefsky
(Xinhua News, Nov. 7, 2001) Former US trade representative Charlene Barshefsky said in Washington on Tuesday that China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) is "extremely important" to the global community.

Taiwan Should Face Future with China By Monique Chu
(Taipei Times, Sep. 24, 2001) Arguing that Taiwan faces inevitable economic integration with China, Edward Chen, president of Hong Kong's Lingnan University, told Taipei Times that Taipei should use its impending WTO entry as a means to engage in trade-related dialogue with Beijing.

WTO Entry May Help Bring Taiwan and China Closer
(AFP, Sep. 20, 2001) Membership in the world trade body for both nations, now expected before the end of the year, could bring them in closer and more regular contact and help improve the atmosphere of bilateral dealings.

China's WTO Deal: A Defining Moment for Global Cooperation By Mike Moore
(International Herald Tribune, Sep. 19, 2001) History was made here this week. After 15 long and often frustrating years of negotiating, a working party at the World Trade Organization has approved bids by China and Taiwan to join 142 other governments as members of the WTO.

China Greets WTO with Both Joy and Worry By Bill Savadove
(Reuters, Sep. 18, 2001) China cheered the approval of terms for it to join the World Trade Organisation, but a top leader said on Tuesday membership would also bring pain as the nation merged with a slumping global economy.

The WTO and China’s Accession to Asian Dominance By William R. Hawkins
(Jamestown Foundation, China Brief, July 24, 2001) During the June Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Shanghai, the United States made further concessions to Chinese demands in order to move Beijing closer to World Trade Organization (WTO) membership.

China, Taiwan, and the World Trade Organization By Greg Mastel
(The Washington Quarterly, Summer 2001) Commercial ties have been the exception to the pessimistic forecast for cross-strait relations. Mutual WTO membership, expected in the near future, will likely force changes in the relationship between Taipei and Beijing that diplomacy cannot achieve.   

Issues in China’s WTO Accession By Nicholas Lardy
(Brookings Institution, May 9, 2001) The United States has a substantial stake in China's further domestic economic reforms and its deepening integration in the global economy.

A Rural Dilemma By Allen T. Cheng
(Asiaweek, Feb. 23, 2001) While WTO accession will not lead to chaos, China still has its work cut out. The stakes are enormous. Once foreign produce hits the Chinese markets, millions of peasants could be wiped out by the competitive prices. 

Fututre Shock: The WTO and Political Change in China By Minxin Pei
(Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Feb. 2001) China's impending WTO entry will pose unprecedented economic and political challenges to the Chinese government. Initial adjustments to WTO entry are expected to increase the pains of reform and pressures on the government.

China's Trade Hostage By Greg Mastel
(Washington Post, Dec. 5, 2000) At his recent meeting with Asian leaders, President Clinton made news by meeting with China's president and once again calling for a rapid conclusion of China's long march toward membership in the World Trade Organization.

Beware Chinese Promises
(Editorial, Washington Post, Oct. 16, 2000) The project of bringing China into the World Trade Organization is based on the assumption that an arbitrary dictatorship is capable of negotiating a complex deal and then sticking to it.

Overselling the Benefits of WTO for China By Bruce Dickson
(Taipei Times, Oct. 6, 2000) Unlike the earlier vote in the House of Representatives, there was little doubt that the Senate would eventually approve PNTR.

China's Trade Status Is Not a Magic Bullet By Greg Mastel
(LA Times, Oct. 3, 2000) In the recent Senate debate on extending permanent normal trade relations, or PNTR, to China, passage was often portrayed as the solution to everything from U.S. trade problems with China to Beijing's intolerance of dissent.

Taiwan Not Ready for New China Ties under WTO
(Reuters, Sept. 20, 2000 ) Taiwan may follow China very quickly into the World Trade Organization, but analysts doubt it is ready to dive into a cross-Strait trade relationship that is likely to accompany that membership.

Zhu's Re-Inventions for WTO By Willy Wo-Lap Lam
(South China Morning Post, Aug. 2, 2000) "Use the open-door policy to give reform a big push" is the phrase that perhaps best sums up Zhu Rongji's strategy for the rest of his premiership.

The Taiwan Factor in the Vote on PNTR for China and its WTO Accession By Nancy Bernkopf Tucker
(NBR Analysis: Vol. 11, No. 2, July 2000) The United States Congress is on the verge of a crucial vote that could confer permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to China.

The Impact of WTO/PNTR on Chinese Politics By Joseph Fewsmith
(NBR Analysis: Vol. 11, No. 2: Essay 2) Those opposed to PNTR are afraid that the United States will surrender its leverage and that therefore reform in China will slow. This study finds the opposite to be the case.

WTO Entry May Back Taiwan into Corner By Richard Dobson
(Taipei Times, July 10, 2000) As its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) looms, Taiwan must make a decision: open direct trade links with China or sink any chance of salvaging the relationship with its giant neighbor by continuing to bar two-way trade.

Maverick Chinese Province Fears Opening of Trade By Mark Landler
(New York Times, June 12, 2000) Every Monday for seven years, Wang Tai-ching has boarded a ferry in Hong Kong and chugged up the muddy waters of the Pearl River delta.

Even With China, WTO Can't Do It All By Philip Bowring
(International Herald Tribune, May 30, 2000) The positive resolution of China's bid for membership in the World Trade Organization is a matter for relief more than for cheering. The negative, perhaps even dangerous, consequences of China's being denied were obvious.

Ties That Will Bind China, Taiwan By Greg Mastel
(LA Times, May 28, 2000) In light of China's threats, it is prudent to consider working with the new Taiwanese president to upgrade the island's defenses, but weapons sales are not the only, and may not be the best, approach to ensuring Taiwan's security.

Permanent Normal Trade Relations for China By Nicholas R. Lardy
(Brookings Institute, Policy Brief #58, May 2000) In what has been described as its most important vote this year, the U.S. Congress will soon decide whether to provide permanent normal trade relations to China.

Opening China to Goods and Ideas
(Editorial, New York Times, May 25, 2000) By approving legislation that permanently normalizes trade relations with China, the House opened the way yesterday for a more stable and productive relationship with that country.

Why the US Should Pass PNTR
(China Times, May 24, 2000) Taiwan should also support passage of PNTR with all its might, for the sake both of security in the Taiwan Strait and of trade with mainland China. This is why U.S. president Bill Clinton specifically pointed out that even the new ROC president Chen Shui-bian supports this piece of legislation.

Reckoning With China
(Editorial, Washington Post, May 24, 2000) The Clinton administration suggests that Congress should bless China's entry into the World Trade Organization because not doing so would anger the Chinese--as though Beijing's emotions should determine the argument. It pleads that snubbing China after long negotiations on WTO would make America seem untrustworthy--as though Congress should automatically sign off on any deal an administration presents to it.

How Trade with China Benefits Americans By Stephen J. Yates and Larry M. Wortzel
(Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, May 5, 2000) Granting permanent normal trade relations to China, which the House and Senate are expected to take up later this month, is good policy.

Normalizing Trade Is Win-Win Scenario By Dianne Feinstein
(LA Times, May 12, 2000) Later this month, Congress will consider legislation to grant China permanent normal trading relations status based on an agreement negotiated last November.

A Clear Choice on China Trade
(Editorial, New York Times, April 19, 2000) By permanently awarding China the normal trading status it has enjoyed for two decades, Congress can advance America's economic interests without diluting its support for human rights on the mainland or the defense of democracy on Taiwan.

Bringing China on Board Makes for a Safer World By George Yeo
(International Herald Tribune, March 2, 2000) China's entry into the World Trade Organization will make this a safer world. This is not only about commercial pluses against minuses.

Battle after Seattle targets China By Abid Aslam
(Asia Times, Dec. 16, 1999) Environmental, labor and human rights groups - fresh from their self-proclaimed triumph over the World Trade Organization (WTO) - are now taking aim at China.

China Trade Deal in Peril (Editorial, LA Times, Dec. 13, 1999)
The Clinton administration's failure to launch new global trade talks at this month's World Trade Organization meeting may well claim another victim--the U.S. trade deal with China--unless the White House can avoid repeating the blunders it made on the run-up to Seattle.

China in WTO Will Help More Than Just Trade By Jacob A. Fisch
(LA Times, Nov. 26, 1999) Entry into the organization will further the social and political changes begun by other outside links. China's modernization has, until now, been greatly inspired and facilitated by interaction with the world community and will be greatly enhanced by WTO membership.

China's Greater Leap By Jim Hoagland
(Washington Post, Nov. 25, 1999) If China accepts the financial transparency and the rule of commercial law the WTO requires, Chinese society at large will benefit. But if China refuses to live up to these engagements, Beijing will live in constant friction and distrust with the rest of the world (and with China's own younger generation).

China and the WTO
(Economist, Nov. 20, 1999) The China-America deal paves the way for China’s admission to the World Trade Organisation, after 13 years of trying, though quite a few matters have to be tied up first. Both national leaders involved in the deal took political gambles. Bill Clinton, certainly. He wants America’s re-engagement with China to be a crowning foreign-policy success, after a series of blunders. But a much bigger gamble was taken by China’s leaders.

One Giant Step for Jiang's China By Erik Eckholm
(New York Times,, Nov. 21, 1999) China's signature Monday showed that Jiang, and most if not all of the other six Communist Party leaders who make major decisions here, are convinced that radical change is the only hope if China is to attain long-term prosperity and greatness.

The Price of China's New Policy By Walter Russell Mead
(LA Times, Nov. 21, 1999) the U.S.-China agreement signed last week in Beijing helps achieve the primary U.S. foreign-policy goal in Asia since the American Revolution: guaranteeing U.S. merchants, bankers, factories and farmers safe and rule-based access to what will someday be the largest consumer market in the world.

Yes, China in the WTO, but What About Taiwan? By William Pfaff (International Herald Tribune, Nov. 18, 1999) Where does Taiwan stand in all this? China has never been willing to belong to an international body to which Taiwan also belongs. However, Taiwan is also a candidate for WTO membership, and by any measure of economy or trade it is a more important candidate than China.

China Must Play by Trade Rules
(Editorial, LA Times, Nov. 8, 1999) The effort to get China admitted into the World Trade Organization has been slow and frustrating. Beijing appears eager to join but reluctant to pay the price of entry. ... But easing the terms of China's admission just to cut a deal before the Seattle meeting would be a mistake.