US President Bill Clinton urged Congress on January 10 to vote ''at the earliest possible time'' on the landmark trade agreement reached with China in November 1999, saying it had a good chance of passage despite opposition from organized labor.

The White House said Commerce Secretary William Daley and deputy White House chief of staff Steve Ricchetti would lead the lobbying effort to convince the Republican-dominated Congress to support a trade agreement that would open a wide range of Chinese markets, from agriculture to telecommunications to automobiles, and clear the way for China to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

"We will do everything we can to succeed," Clinton said, urging congressional leaders to schedule a vote at the "earliest possible time."

"If we do that, I think we've got an excellent chance to pass it," Clinton told reporters.

But key Republicans want to put off voting on the China pact until June or later while Beijing completes the process of joining the WTO, congressional aides said.

Winning Congress' support for the trade agreement won't be easy given the formidable lobbying clout of US labor groups, traditionally allied with Clinton's Democratic Party. Vice President Al Gore, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, is counting on the labor union's support on election day.