China and the World Trade Organization (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Aug. 3, 2004 |
| Report Number |
RS20139 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Wayne Morrison, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
Premium Revised Aug. 6, 2003 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Feb. 20, 2003 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised April 2, 2002 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Jan. 17, 2002 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Nov. 19, 2001 (6 pages, $24.95)
add
|
Summary:
China has sought over the past several years to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the international agency that administers multilateral trade rules. In September 2001, China completed its multilateral negotiations with the WTO Working Party handling its accession application and reached a trade agreement with Mexico, the last of the original 37 WTO members that requested a bilateral trade agreement with China. Chinaâs WTO membership (as well as that of Taiwanâs) was formally approved at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar in November 2001. China is expected to join the WTO on December 11, 2001. WTO accession commits China to significantly reducing a wide variety of tariff and non-tariff barriers. Legislation (H.R. 4444) granting China permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status (once it joins the WTO) was enacted into law on October 10, 2000 ( P.L. 106-286). A main concern for Congress is to ensure that China fully complies with its WTO commitments once it accedes. This report will be updated as events warrant.
