China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) has been accelerated during the third ministerial meeting of the organization in Seattle, Shi Guangsheng, Chinese Minister of the Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, said in Seattle Friday.

Speaking to a group of Chinese reporters, Shi, who came here to attend the meeting on Monday, expressed his optimism over China's eventual entry into the WTO.

During the meeting, Shi met 16 US senators, 29 U.S. congressmen, leaders of farmers associations and prominent businessmen. The agreement signed between China and the United States last month on China's entry into the WTO was a major topic during the meetings.

Shi said the politicians and businessmen told him that the US- China pact is a win-win agreement and will play not only a very important role in developing the trade and economic relations between the two countries, but also a historic role in stabilizing bilateral relations.

They expressed their hope that the agreement will be implemented and the US Congress will approve the Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to China. They also expressed their support for China's entry into the WTO.

After meeting with 16 ministers from other countries and European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, Shi said, "Those countries which have not concluded negotiations on China's entry into the WTO have indicated their desire to finish the talks as soon as possible."

The Chinese minister added that he and Lamy agreed that China and the EU should resume their negotiations as soon as possible.

China concluded negotiations with Canada late last month. Shi said his country is closer to reaching agreement with another six or seven countries during the meeting in Seattle.

On Taiwan's entry into the WTO, Shi reaffirmed that the principles in the Chairman's Statement of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) should be adhered to, that is to say, China should join the WTO before Chinese Taipei.

Shi said Beijing will not dispute the entry of Chinese Taipei as a separate custom zone into the WTO.

During a meeting with WTO Director-General Mike Moore, Shi reaffirmed the position and Moore expressed his understanding and support.

When asked about the chaos of the Seattle gathering caused by the protests, Shi expressed his dissatisfaction. He had to cancel some scheduled meetings on Tuesday due to the blockade by the protesters.

On Tuesday, thousands of protesters occupied streets near the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. The ministers and delegates were stopped from entering the meeting by the protesters and an opening ceremony had to be canceled.

"While some protesters enjoyed their freedom to block the roads, the ministers were deprived of their freedom to move," Shi noted.

Many delegates and ministers made the similar complaint. Latin American and Caribbean ministers signed a joint communique expressing their anger at the United States for the violence against some delegates by some protesters.

A Colombian delegate was held up and beaten by the protesters when he tried to attend the meeting on Tuesday.