China “a developing country” became the 143rd World Trade Organisation (WTO) member December 11, 2001. It ” began to work towards joining the WTO from July 10, 1986, from which time it entered into negotiations with General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) on the “resumption of its status as a contracting party to GATT”.  [1, 2, 3]

In 1986 the Chinese Government expected to “receive treatment equivalent to that accorded to other developing contracting parties”.  President Bill Clinton, is said to have been  “a major proponent of China’s bid”.