from TPDL 1999-May-23, from Capitol Hill Blue:

Clinton will do "whatever it takes" to get China into World Trade Organization

President Clinton told Democratic senators Saturday he will do whatever it takes to secure China's entry into the World Trade Organization by the end of the year.

In fact, he expects to do it by the end of the year.

``Clinton spoke about China and contrary to the conventional wisdom, he thinks we can get this done,'' Deputy White House Press Secretary Jake Siewert told reporters. ``He said it is very important and that it would be a great mistake to walk away from a strong deal.''

Siewert said Clinton told senators attending the annual Democratic issues conference in rural Virginia that a deal could be reached by the end of the year.

Talks concerning China's WTO entry have been placed on hold since NATO bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in what the alliance said was an accident. U.S. officials have said they are waiting for the Chinese to allow them to send trade negotiator Robert Cassidy to China to resume negotiations.

China would like to join the WTO by the end of the year, when ministers meet in Seattle to begin a new round of global trade liberalization talks.

Siewert also said Clinton thanked senators for backing gun-control legislation earlier in the week, quoting the president as saying, ``The country has come a very great distance on this issue.''

The Senate Thursday passed a sweeping juvenile anti-crime bill that included the first new gun-control measures since the Republicans won control of Congress in the 1994 elections. Vice President Al Gore cast a tie-breaking vote on an amendment that would require background checks on all people who buy firearms at gun shows.

In addition, Clinton urged senators to push for legislation that would require background checks for people buying guns over the Internet, Siewert said.

Clinton told the Democratic senators that he planned to make progress during the remainder of his term on a number of key issues, including Social Security and Medicare reform, a patient's bill of rights, and various initiatives on education and the environment, Siewert said.