Some Implications of China joining the WTO

After two decades of spectacular economic growth following Deng’s 1979 reforms, China’s accession to the WTO is generating a great deal of excitement, uncertainty, and fear. This paper examines the effect the accession is likely to have on both the world economy and on China. It concludes that if China carries out the far reaching commitments in trade and investment policy, substantial gains can be expected. However, potential problems, particularly within China, should not be overlooked.