China unveils Chinese version of WTO agreement
BEIJING, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Two weeks after joining the World Trade Organisation, China has announced the pledges it made for membership in the world trade club to its people.
The Foreign Trade Ministry on Wednesday posted a long-awaited Chinese language version of the WTO agreement on its Web site at www.moftec.gov.cn.
The ministry unveiled an English version on the eve of formal entry, which took place on December 11. The Web site crashed as thousands logged on to view the massive document but the ministry later fixed the problem.
The Chinese version is a translation of the English, covering everything from tariffs to safeguard measures.
Analysts and diplomats say China's slowness in publishing the document left some local officials still ignorant of Beijing's WTO pledges, hampering implementation.
A Shanghai publishing house recently rolled out with a Chinese version filled with errors, but officials said it was unauthorised and they were trying to recall the publication, state media reported.
The Foreign Trade Ministry has said a published version of the WTO pact would be available soon, and the government wanted to make sure it was error-free.
06:38 12-26-01
