What is the history of China and the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
China was one of the original signatories to the GATT (General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade; a precursor to the WTO) in 1948. Membership remained with the Taiwanese (Republic Of China) government until rescinded in 1971. In the same year, the People’s Republic of China was recognized as the official Chinese government by the United Nations and granted Observer status to GATT. In 1987, a Working Party on China was created to handle trade related matters. The WTO was established in 1995 and China’s official ascension was granted in 2001.
