China, Join the WTO, but Don't Fall into the Trap

On the afternoon of March 15, 1999, a press conference was held at the Second Session of the Ninth National People's Congress. At the press conference, Premier Zhu Rongji faced the many questions raised to him by correspondents and reporters from abroad as well as by Chinese journalists with his inimitable composure and his usual sense of wit and humor. When a correspondent from Britain's >i>Financial Times>/i> asked him to comment on the chances that an agreement between China and the United States concerning China's joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) would be reached either during the time of Zhu's impending visit to the United States or shortly thereafter, Premier Zhu replied: These negotiations have already been carried out for thirteen years; some of us had heads of dark hair when we started the talks and now our heads have turned white with age; it's time to draw these negotiations to a closeâ¦. As long as both sides are willing to proceed with concern for the bigger picture and from the perspective of promoting the prosperity and the stability of the international marketâif we are all ready to do what is best for the whole and are willing to make some small concessions, then we can certainly be hopeful about reaching an agreement [at this time].