China is maintaining a serious attitude to fulfilling its commitments towards the World Trade organization (WTO), Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said yesterday during a press conference.

 

Responding to a question about China's performance in terms of sticking to its WTO membership commitments, Zhang said the country has taken comprehensive measures, including revising and making laws, enforcing them and using administrative means, to fulfill its obligations.

 

"China has revised or abolished more than 3,000 laws and regulations to meet WTO requirements in recent years," she said, adding it shows the country's great determination on the issue. China became a WTO member in 2001.

 

Zhang also called on the US Congress to recognize the great strides being made by China.

 

Zhang said she hopes the United States will take measures to further promote Sino-US relations, especially economic and trade ties, and be more constructive in its attitude towards cooperative bilateral relations.

 

Commenting on the visit to Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Israel by Wang Shijie, China's special envoy to the Middle East, Zhang said it is another of China's diplomatic efforts to try and promote peace in the Middle East.

 

In regard to United Nations (UN) Security Council reform, Zhang said China supports change and the council should be appropriately enlarged due to developments over the past 50-plus years since its founding.

 

(China Daily October 31, 2003)