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WTO Ministerial
Meeting
Seattle, 1999
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See articles about the external trade of the United States
Information about Seattle
Seattle Attractions
China's accession to WTO 
Seattle
Post-Intelligencer's WTO Section
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(last update: March 02, 2000)
For articles related to WTO after Jan 1, 2000, click here.
Dec 6, 1999. HELENE COOPER, BOB DAVIS and GREG HITT. "WTO's Failure in Bid to Launch Trade Talks Emboldens Protesters," Wall Street Journal.
Dec 6, 1999. "What's ahead for the WTO," Seattle Times.
Dec 5, 1999. Stephen Dunphy. "Agricultural issues toppled WTO talks," Seattle Times.
Dec 4, 1999. MICHAEL PAULSON and ROBERT McCLURE. "WTO summit ends in failure," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Dec 4, 1999. Stephen Dunphy. "WTO talks collapse; no accord reached," Seattle Times.
Dec 2, 1999. John Burbank and Robert E. Scott. "What WTO means for working families," Seattle Times.
Dec 1, 1999. SCOTT SUNDE. "Chaos closes downtown," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Nov 29, 1999. EDUARDO LACHICA. "Discord and Individual Agend as Stifle Asian Voice in WTO Talks," Wall Street Journal.
Nov 29, 1999. BOB DAVIS and HELENE COOPER. "Round and Round They Go, To Name New Trade Talks," Wall Street Journal.
Nov 28, 1999. Stephen H. Dunphy. "WTO agenda unfinished, but protesters have drawn battle lines," Seattle Times.
Nov 24, 1999. "Hot issues dumped in WTO lap," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Nov 22, 1999. M.L. LYKE. "Seattle will extend a hand in greeting and raise another in protest for WTO," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Nov 22, 1999. Bruce Ramsey. "Exactly what is the WTO?," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Nov 17, 1999. Joe McDonald. "Chinese farmers, state-owned firms to suffer; foreign banks, insurers benefit," Assoicated Press, printed in Seattle Times.
Nov 17, 1999. John Pomfret. "In China, modern economy may come at expense of social disruption," Washington Post, reprinted in Seattle Times.
Nov 17, 1999. Wendy Liut. "WTO membership no picnic for China," Seattle Times.
Nov 16, 1999. HELENE COOPER, BOB DAVIS and IAN JOHNSON. "In Historic Pact, U.S. Opens Way For China to Finally Join the WTO," Wall Street Journal.
Nov 15, 1999. Charles Hutzler and Naomi Koppel. "China, U.S. sign breakthrough trade deal," Seattle Times.
The agreement obligates China to cut tariffs an average of 23 percent and promises greater access to the relatively closed Chinese market for U.S. banks, insurers, telecommunications firms and Hollywood film exporters, according to a statement released by the U.S. Embassy.
The U.S. Embassy said China will eliminate export subsidies, double the number of foreign films it allows in each year to 20 and allow U.S. firms to finance car purchases. With the deal, China will also put into effect an April agreement to slash tariffs on agricultural goods and provide larger import quotas for wheat, corn, rice and cotton.
In a major step, China agreed to allow foreign investors into its telecommunications-services industry, which has so far been off-limits to foreign investors. It also said foreign investors will be allowed to hold stakes in Chinese Internet content providers, putting to rest an issue that had stirred concern among foreign investors in recent months.
China will also allow 49 percent foreign ownership in telecommunications companies immediately after accession into the WTO, followed by 50 percent after two years, she said.
Nov 9, 1999. HELENE COOPER and BOB DAVIS. "Top U.S. Advisers Go to Beijing to Try To Close Deal Before Nov. 30 Meeting," Wall Street Journal.
Nov 8, 1999. RUSSELL FLANNERY. "With WTO Bid Stalled, Taiwan Questions Trade Concessions, Considers Revisions," Wall Street Journal.
Nov 8, 1999. JUDD SLIVKA. "It's trade, indeed, as WTO brings the bucks," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"Nearly every flight into the city between Nov. 30 and Dec. 3 is booked. Hotel rooms in the downtown core and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are reserved. Expense account-busting restaurants are already reporting high reservation numbers for the days of the conference."
Oct 13, 1999. "EU divided on strategy for Seattle trade talks," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Oct 13, 1999. "WTO is weakening health laws, Nader says," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Oct 13, 1999. "Membership into WTO part of U.S.-China economic talks," Associated Press, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Oct 8, 1999. MICHAEL PAULSON. "Clinton sending 3 to sell trade policy," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Oct 6, 1999. "Head of WTO correct about openness, poverty," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Oct 6, 1999. Heidi Przybyla. "China backers say hopes dim for WTO bid," Seattle Times.
Oct 2, 1999. Stephen H. Dunphy and David Postman. "WTO chief opens a door to critics," Seattle Times.
Oct 1, 1999. MICHAEL PAULSON. "Groups say Clinton policy putting trade over environment," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Oct 1, 1999. "Study: Large U.S. industries won't see big benefit from China in WTO," Bloomberg News, in Seattle Times.
"Electronic-equipment exports would increase 0.1 percent, while exports of transportation equipment other than motor vehicles would rise by less than 0.05 percent, said the report by the International Trade Commission.
"A 17 percent boost in vegetable-oil sales would be the largest boost among U.S. exports, the study said."
Sept 29, 1999. "Debate over WTO issues requires all viewpoints," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Sept 28, 1999. "Chinese official: Deal to join WTO may be in peril," Associated Press, in Seattle Times.
Sept 20, 1999. "Protesters hit training camp to prepare for WTO meeting ," Seattle Times.
"They oppose the WTO, a group of trade ministers from 135 countries. They see the organization as a threat to environmental protections and labor standards because it allows countries to protest U.S. laws they claim create unfair trade barriers."
Sept 19, 1999. "From Geneva, the WTO wields its power over trade," Seattle Times.
"The WTO's meeting in Seattle this fall is where much of the debate about trade, globalization, labor practices and the environment will occur. Some of that debate will take place inside the official WTO Ministerial meeting at the Washington Trade and Convention Center, some of it on the streets of Seattle."
Sept 19, 1999. Stephen H. Dunphy "From Walla Walla to Dijon: anatomy of a trade dispute," Seattle Times.
Sept 15, 1999. MATT FORNEY and LESLIE CHANG. "EU Defense of Farm Subsidies Expected to Shape WTO Talks," Wall Street Journal.
"Under existing WTO rules, production subsidies are permissible provided they are frozen at 1992 levels, and are paid as part of programs designed to cut production in the long run.
"In contrast, measures such as export subsidies which directly distort world-market prices are subject to highly restrictive thresholds. WTO members have also agreed in principle to phase them out."
Sept 15, 1999. RON REDMOND. "WTO seeks to counteract 'misperceptions' ," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"Facing the threat of massive demonstrations at the Nov. 30-Dec. 3 ministerial conference in Seattle, WTO officials in Geneva are struggling to dispel what they consider numerous fallacies about the controversial world body."
Sept 14, 1999. BOB DAVIS. "U.S. and Beijing Make Little Headway In Resumed Talks on China's WTO Bid," Wall Street Journal.
Sept 9, 1999. "U.S., China To Resume WTO Talks," Associated Press, in New York Times.
Sept 2, 1999. "New WTO chief is all smiles," Associated Press, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Aug 27, 1999. HEIDI PRZYBYLA. "U.S. keeps China-WTO report under wraps," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Aug 25, 1999. "A call for 'down payment' to poor: New WTO chief asks rich nations to help," Associated Press, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Aug 14, 1999. "Obstacles ahead for WTO nations: Seattle talks facing discord on key issues," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Aug 11, 1999. BRUCE RAMSEY. "WTO meeting will set 21st-century trade," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Aug 10, 1999. "WTO access plan good, far as it goes," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
July 23, 1999. NAOMI KOPPE. "New WTO leaders face tough challenges," Associated Press, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
June 14, 1999. BRUCE RAMSEY. "WTO debate is about more than science," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
June 4, 1999. BRUCE RAMSEY. "Local companies discuss their agenda for trade talks," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
June 2, 1999. BRUCE RAMSEY. "WTO targeted by critics at Seattle U trade forum," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
May 22, 1999. BRUCE RAMSEY. "Corporate role, agenda issues cloud forum," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
May 14, 1999. EMILY SCHWARTZ. "U.S.-China trade spat now affects Taiwan," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"The NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade has inflicted collateral damage on Taiwan's nine-year effort to gain entry to the World Trade Organization."
May 11, 1999. BRUCE RAMSEY. "Business leaders still hope to shore up WTO entry deal," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
May 11, 1999. RAYMOND J. WALDMANN. "World Trade Organization important to citizens of city and state," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"The Geneva-based WTO is the only global body dedicated to developing international trade rules. From the U.S. perspective, the WTO is our voice and vote for dealing with trade issues. The WTO provides the rules-based system of international trade on which we rely. Members negotiate agreements ensuring that:
Countries may not raise their tariffs or other border taxes whenever they feel like it, and thereby exclude American products from their markets;Countries may not impose unjustified technical barriers such as inspection requirements on U.S. wheat, apples and other agricultural products just to protect their home markets, nor may they favor products from specific countries;
Countries may not allow or encourage piracy of intellectual property, thereby protecting our software and computers, books and films, CDs and tapes;
Countries are restricted from violating the rules on subsidies and export assistance, and flooding the world with government-subsidized products whose prices we could not match."
May 10, 1999. FOO CHOY PENG. "Beijing rejects WTO wish list," South China Morning Post.
May 7, 1999. "Inefficient farm sector fears WTO floodgates," REUTERS, printed in South China Morning Post.
"The cost of producing one tonne of wheat in the United States is some 70 per cent lower than in China and the US quality is much superior," said the chief of the mainland's largest grains exchange.
"The cost for other grains was also 30 to 50 per cent higher than world market levels, he said.
"Now, imports of staple grains such as wheat are controlled under a quota system and a tariff as high as 180 per cent.
"With WTO entry, overall tariffs on farm goods would be reduced to 17 per cent by 2004 and 14.5 per cent for certain priority products.
May 6, 1999. Charles Hutzler. "EU: China Pulls Back on Trade Terms," Washington Post.
May 3, 1999. "China's Telecommunications Minister Submits Resignation Over WTO Bid," World Street Journal.
"Wu Jichuan, the 61-year-old head of the Ministry of Information Industries, offered to resign last month at a meeting of China's cabinet called to discuss reforms that Premier Zhu Rongji proposed during his recent trip to Washington. On the trip, Mr. Zhu promised to open China's telecommunications industry to foreign companies as part of deal designed
to allow China into the WTO, the international body that sets global trading rules.
"'He was really angry that Zhu made those concessions to the Americans without consulting him,' said the head of a department in Mr. Wu's ministry."
May 3, 1999. "Leadership Battle Threatens to Stall World Trade Organization's Work," World Street Journal.
"Renewing trade pressure as Asian economies pick up, the U.S. pushed for World Trade Organization settlement of two complaints lodged against South Korea and one against India.
"The U.S. also initiated four other WTO trade complaints, against the European Union, Canada and Argentina."
April 30, 1999. ANNIE HUANG. "Taiwan, China share a quest: WTO membership," Associated Press, printed in Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"Taiwan has completed all trade negotiations required by WTO members, and is continuing its own lobbying efforts. Taiwanese Economics Minister Wang Chih-kang departs for Washington on Monday to seek U.S. support of Taiwan's entry this year.
"Beijing insists that it must get into the WTO first, then Taiwan can follow as long as the island is admitted as a "tariff zone" and not as a nation."
April 30, 1999. Joseph J. Borich. "ZHU RONGJI'S U.S. VISIT AND THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION," Washington State China Relations Council.
April 29, 1999. BOB DAVIS and HELENE COOPER. "White House Uses Congress As Leverage in China Talks," World Street Journal.
"Equally important for both sides, a vote against a China trade deal would represent the biggest defeat for trade liberalization and global economic integration since World War II. Neither China nor the U.S. government want to give a boost to isolationist forces that have gained strength in the U.S. over the past few years."
April 22, 1999. MICHAEL PAULSON. "Gorton OKs trade status for China," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, one of the few elected officials from Washington state who has resisted granting most-favored-nation trade status to China, yesterday said he is now prepared to support permanent normalized trade relations with the world's largest nation."
April 22, 1999. A WTO report on world trade.
"In 1998, US's share of export in the world was 12.7 percent, a drop of 1 percent, while its share of import was 17.0 percent, a rise of 5 percent."
April 22, 1999. Patty Murray. "WTO and the legacy of the Liulinhai," Seattle Times.
April 21, 1999. ROBERT E. LIGHTHIZER. "Bringing China into the WTO is a deal we'd most likely regret," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
April 20, 1999. BRUCE RAMSEY. "Optimism for China in the WTO," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
April 15, 1999. LINDA ASHTON. "China bites U.S. apple, spits out 'if''," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"The United States has reached an important agreement with China on a reduction in tariffs on apples, pears and cherries by 2004, but the deal depends on China's entry into the World Trade Organization.
"The agreement calls for dropping the current import tax on the fruit from 30 percent to 10 percent, said Chris Schlect, president of the Northwest Horticultural Council in Yakima."
April 13, 1999. WILLIAM SAFIRE. "Clinton blames anti-China crowd for scuttling deal with Zhu," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
April 11, 1999. "Now if wheat purchases will follow Chinese policy," Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial.
April 7, 1999. Stephen H. Dunphy. "WTO: Access not for sale," Seattle Times.
Mar 24, 1999. JEFFREY E. GARTEN. "World would benefit if China part of World Trade Organization," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Mar 21, 1999. Don Bonker. "Trade group's fall meeting is a big test for Clinton," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"In today's Congress, neither political party has a clear and definitive position on trade policy. The respected CATO Institute just released a study rating members of Congress that show only 25 members of the House and 12 in the Senate "fit the category of free traders." Of the other three categories -- internationalists, interventionists, and isola-tionists -- 58 percent of the House members were identified as interventionists (i.e., congressmen who voted anti-trade and pro-subsidy)."
Feb 19, 1999. Stephen H. Dunphy. "Trade talks in Seattle will feature Clinton, Gore visits," Seattle Times.
"However, the region has continued to put itself on the trade map in recent years, starting with the APEC meeting in 1993. A WTO meeting of four of its major members - the Quad Meeting - was held here in 1995. The Asian Development Bank in Manila will hold its annual meeting here next year.
"The importance of trade was highlighted by the fact that Boeing and Microsoft chairmen are the co-chairs of the Seattle Host Organization. Boeing's international role is well-known, but Ellwanger said 70 percent of Microsoft's nearly $14.5 billion in revenue for 1998 came from trade beyond U.S. borders.
"Up to 5,000 delegates are expected at the meeting. In addition, Chabert said, delegations from 34 observer nations would attend as well as officials of nongovernmental organizations attached to trade.
"The meeting is expected to attract as many as 2,000 journalists from around the world."
Feb 19, 1999. SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD. "Trade meeting will be 'APEC times 10'," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Feb 3, 1999. SLADE GORTON. "Trade meeting the best chance to promote our state's agenda'," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
"As Washingtonians know well, free trade is vital to the economic well-being of our state. According to the Washington State Department of Trade and Economic Development, Washington is the most trade-dependent state in the nation. One out of every four jobs in Washington is directly related to international trade, and those jobs pay, on average,
46 percent more than other jobs. Washington is the fifth largest exporting state in the country."With more than 25 percent of Washington's commodities being sold in international markets, the state's agriculture community has a lot to gain by hosting the WTO Ministerial. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington's agricultural exports were the ninth highest of any state in the nation last year. Exports ensure that farmers receive the highest prices possible for their products and support nearly 32,000 jobs on the farm, in food processing facilities and in transportation and manufacturing industries."
Jan 28, 1999. "Talking trade: The Seattle Round," Seattle Times.
Jan 27, 1999. SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD. "Hosting WTO conference marks area's importance," Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Jan 26, 1999. James V. Grimaldi and Stephen H. Dunphy. "Seattle will host WTO talks," Seattle Times.
Jan 25, 1999. James V. Grimaldi. "Next round of global trade talks to be held in Seattle," Seattle Times.
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