China has never changed its position, viewpoint and attitude on accession into the World Trade Organization (WTO), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said in Beijing on May 27 at a regular press conference.

China has a consistent position on WTO negotiations, he reiterated, and said that what China insists on is "the balance between rights and obligations".

As a developing country, China can only undertake obligations that are commensurate with its national strength at present, he noted.

China's accession to the WTO is beneficial both to the country and the WTO, as well as the development of the world trade. WTO will be an incomplete world trade ruling body without China being of one of its members, he pointed out.

However, the spokesman stressed, China will never sacrifice its fundamental interests in order to join the WTO.

China has spent 13 years on a bid to entry into WTO, during which China's economy has been developing continuously, the spokesman said, adding that China will continue its pace of economic growth, even if its WTO talks would be prolonged.

Zhu said he has taken note of the statement in support of China's accession to the WTO within 1999 announced recently in Tokyo by the trade ministers of the United States, Japan, Canada and the European Union.

"The statement is only one aspect of the matter, and it is more important to take concrete actions to fulfill their commitments," he said.

The U.S.-led NATO's attack on the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade has badly impaired the relations between China and the United States, and also damaged the atmosphere of their WTO negotiations, the spokesman said.

He stressed that the urgent matter is that the U.S. side should immediately conduct a comprehensive, thorough, serious and responsible inspection over the incident and punish those responsible.

Press Office,05/29/99