Associated Press / Naomi Koppel, Associated Press Writer
GENEVA (AP) -- For the first time in almost two years, China met formally with the World Trade Organization's members today to talk about joining the group, and expressed confidence that its bid for membership would be approved by the U.S. Congress.
"I think everybody is very optimistic that China has come into the final stage of the negotiations," Chinese chief negotiator Long Yongtu said. He declined to say how long the membership bid would take.
China has been trying to join the WTO, the body which sets down rules on international trade, for 14 years.
Meetings of the working group on Chinese membership were suspended in July 1998 because China still had to sign bilateral agreements on market access with many countries.
Long said China was in the process of reviewing its domestic law to bring it into conformity with WTO rules. He presented the full text of 177 laws and regulations concerning China's economic and trade relations with foreign countries.
"All the preparations China has done for joining the WTO clearly demonstrate that the Chinese government has the determination, confidence as well as capability" to function in the WTO, he said.
As well as the bilateral agreements, the WTO working group must agree on an overall protocol for China's membership.
Long said he did not believe the process towards joining would be stalled by the U.S. Congress, which has yet to approve the market-access agreement between the two countries.
The Clinton administration is strongly in favor of Chinese membership, but many U.S. politicians have said improved trade relations between the two nations should be dependent on improvements in China's human rights record.
"I firmly believe that the Sino-U.S. trade agreement is in the interests of the business community. I don't see any reason that the U.S. Congress would not pass that legislation," Long said.
The working group is expected to meet again in mid-May.:
