China's Accession to the WTO: Ready and Willing ..... But Able?

China's eagerness to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) was perhaps best evidenced by its immediate ratification of membership. On November 11 2001 in Doha, Qatar, Minister Shi Guangsheng first signed the WTO accession package on behalf of China above the handwritten phrase "subject to ratification", and then immediately turned to the WTO Director General to deliver China's ratification letter which had been pre-signed by President Jiang Zemin. The affirmative ratification decision of the National People's Congress Standing Committee had in fact been in place since August 25. In accordance with the Marrakesh Agreement, China officially becomes the 143rd full member of the WTO on December 11 2001.

China's accession package (the Final Agreement) consists primarily of a Working Party report, a protocol of accession (Protocol) and market access schedules for both goods and services. These accession documents form the legal basis upon which China joins the WTO and sets forth China's specific commitments to reform its current investment, trade and legal regimes in line with WTO principles.

WTO Legal Framework