[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 15 (Monday, April 19, 1999)]
[Page 627]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint Statement by President Bill Clinton and Premier Zhu Rongji

April 10, 1999

    On the occasion of the signing of the Agreement on U.S. China 
Agricultural Cooperation, President Bill Clinton and Premier Zhu Rongji 
reaffirmed that the United States and the People's Republic of China 
have advanced substantially their common goal of China's accession to 
the World Trade Organization (WTO). This Agreement and the significant 
consensus achieved on a broad range of market access and Protocol issues 
have further advanced that goal. President Clinton and Premier Zhu 
welcome this significant progress. The United States strongly supports 
the accession of the People's Republic of China to the WTO in 1999. 
Therefore, President Clinton and Premier Zhu instruct their trade 
ministers to continue bilateral negotiations in order to satisfactorily 
resolve the important remaining issues and reach agreement on strong 
commercial terms as soon as possible.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.