--An Interview with Dr Zhang Xiaoji of the State Council Development Research Center With Respect to Prospects of China's De Facto Entry into WTO

On November 15, China reached with the US a bilateral accord on China's accession to the WTO, evoking a positive response from the world community. Such a milestone type win-win result will inject a new vigor into the world economy in bringing about a growth of economic trade the world over and China will accordingly make a step further into the door of such a world trade organization as WTO. With this theme for which people show great concern at home in mind, we two People's Daily staff reporters went to have an interview with Dr Zhang Xiaoji, director of Foreign-Oriented Economic Researches Department, State Council Development Research Center. Being an expert concentrating on an intensive study on Sino-US bilateral talks over the last ten or so years, Zhang expounded on the twists and turns of bilateral China-US talks in the past 13 years. He told us that we Chinese people should look far ahead to hail the advent of a greater opening era in China.

Remove Obstacles and Step Closer to WTO

Dr Zhang pointed out that in the many bilateral talks China had conducted on its entry into WTO (formally GATT) in the past 13 years with its foreign counterparts the biggest obstacle has once been the US. Early back in the 90s, China and the US had in their memorandum on market entrance already come to such clear-cut verbiage as: The US gives its full support to China's entry into GATT. But over the years, the US has never observed its commitment to that end. In last April, when Premier Zhu Rongji went on a visit to the US, the US further specifically voiced its support to China's entry into WTO in this year. Thanks to a bilateral effort made, the US has at long last been true to its commitment.

But a Sino-US bilateral accord does not mean China's de facto entry into WTO. It represents merely a major step made to that end by the country. Among the 135 WTO members, China needs to conduct bilateral talks with over 30 countries on the country's entry into WTO. Of these, we have reached bilateral accords on China's entry into WTO with only 13 countries. China has not yet reached bilateral accords with EU, Canada and some other member countries on the country's entry into WTO. Arduous talks are still awaiting us. An optimistic estimate is that China may enter WTO in January or February, at the earliest date in the coming year. Anyhow, people will see how things are to be developed in the first six months next year.

Make Breakthrough to Achieve a Win-Win Result

When speaking about China's demand for entry into WTO Dr Zhang obviously became excited with his words. It is because within WTO there are the interests of all countries throughout the world. By "entry into WTO" is to mean we are entitled to participate in formulation of various "rules of game". By participation we will be enabled not only to protect the national interests of our own but also help us in an effective way to play a part in setting up a new fair just world economic order. To make China a formal member of WTO is a right we should enjoy. By now, we have by our foreign trade amount ranked in the 11th place of the world and 17th by its totality of economic force. For a large country like China, with a population of over 1.2 billion, why has it been long ostracized outside the door of WTO? To join WTO not only concerns the right due to China but also a necessity for a general representation of such a world trade organization as WTO.

Nevertheless, a new member to join WTO, we have to make unilateral commitment in negotiations held. Plainly speaking, this is to "turn in entrance fees". Thirteen years' Sino-US talks have its difficulty in US disregarding of developments of China as a developing country and its exacting of too many unrealistic higher prices unacceptable to China. For our part, we should give no commitments exceeding our capabilities. We should act on the principle on a balance between rights and obligations. Things must be especially so with all discriminatory clauses or contents detrimental to the fundamental interest of us.

China is a developing country, a fact that leaves no doubt to people throughout the world. As things stand in China at present, by the development of our industry, finance, telecommunications, services and some other sectors, much is still desired. As to our agricultural production, it is being developed at a deplorable low level, a certain length of transition time still needed. These have formed the basic stand that leaves us no room to budge a bit from.

In the coming "millennium talks", owing to the fact that China and the US both have the desire to end their marathon talks they have to "dash to the tape" in carrying out bilateral talks. Proceeding from the overall interests of the world economy and acting on the principle of equality, mutual benefit, mutual concession, putting aside differences and seeking common grounds, they had both an arduous effort in overcoming various difficulties and making a breakthrough at difficult points to finally achieve the win-win results. This is truly a thing congratulatory.

Opportunities Increase, Pressure Mounts

How is China going to face such a situation after its de facto entry into WTO? Dr Zhang reminds us of the fact that more knowledge should be had by us about WTO and such misunderstandings or misgivings about a wider opening of China's door and a great dumping of foreign goods on the Chinese market after China's de facto entry into WTO should be dispelled. A fact to be noted is that WTO is by no means a trade organization without flexibility. In fields relevant to fundamental national interests and important national economic interests China will be still on its own in the way the people's interests are not to be harmed. It goes without saying the various ramifications of de facto entry will surely be found on some sectors, enterprises and different communal sections in China. Impact will be found the greatest on those relying largely on a protected market and monopolistic operation. This requires us to make most of the extended time to speed up development and strive for a raise of our strength of competitiveness.

Our markets are to be open wider and wider, this is a certainty. By opening up is meant direction introduction of a mechanism of competition. Competition is not merely directed at state-owned enterprises in China. As to those foreign-invested they will also feel the pressure of competition. Take foreign automobile makers in China, they will have to take into consideration the size of their investment and production of competitive products. Needless to say, competition will benefit finally Chinese customers. Market commodities in improved quality will then be found available, at a convenient price and with better service provided. As to whether the foreigners or their products will get the upper hand in Chinese markets, success or failure of the like deals will depend on competitions in Chinese markets.

In the past 20 years since launching of reform and opening up, the Chinese economy has been developing with a new vigor in gathering speed. Let's say, if we do things according to international rules we will win more foreign investors not to say to attract an increased amount of foreign investment and more advanced foreign technologies in bringing about an all-round growth of the Chinese economy. For an all-round vigorous growth of economy, an enlarged cake going to be made, with more commodities provided and new job opportunities created, our losses in some sectors will be accordingly compensated. Contrarily, if we merely have a restructuring of the economy behind closed doors we will find ourselves squander in difficulties because of a change of jobs by the workers and their reemployment.

"Do Some Things We Can But Not All We Can't"

To end our interview, Dr Zhang finally and meaningfully reiterated the fact that why has a bilateral accord been reached Between China and the US? Underling this is on the one hand the great strength of China, there the US has been enabled to see its commercial interests. On the other, there is the maturity of the third generation of Chinese leaders, with matters handled from a high commanding point. Dr Zhang said it is General Secretary Jiang Zemin who has put forward the idea: "Do some things we can but not all we can't". We must take Comrade Jiang's words as our guide in work. This is to say our construction work or development should neither be all-inclusive nor should we be all exclusive. We can't go in for all things or undertakings to advance our modernization drive. International cooperation and division should be promoted in defiance of all possible challenges to be met in face of a globalization of the world economy, Dr Zhang said. We should know ourselves as well as our foreign counterparts and get ourselves well prepared in the way twists and turns are to be averted in the country's construction irrespective of our de facto entry into the WTO some day.

Finally, Dr Zhang lays special emphasis on his words that China is a large country. As a big nation, we should be broad minded and ready to accommodate and merge ourselves with the world. Only in so doing can we truly "do things we can but not all we can't" towards realizing our final goal that has long been set. (By People's Daily Staff Reporters Gu Yuqing and Wu Qiming)