With support from the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, the newly-formed Shanghai-based organization will study the strategic implications of China's entry into the WTO, various WTO agreements, regional economic cooperation and economic globalization.

"The foundation of the society unveils a new phase in the city's studies concerning WTO, producing useful, down-to-earth and up-to-date solutions for enterprises encountering problems generated by China's entry into the WTO,'' said Zhu Xiaoming, director of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Commission and academic counselor of the organization.

The new body will offer responsive strategies and legal advice to companies throughout the country as well as the municipality, said Wang Xinkui, president of the foreign trade institute.

The organization will also keep in touch with WTO research and work groups and authorities from all over the world, said its executive chairman Liu Guangxi.

The organization has already established close ties with the Berkeley College to research WTO issues.

According to Laura Tyson, dean of Berkeley College and former adviser of the Clinton Government, the organization will play an important role in China's accession into the WTO and help build a strong and dynamic economy.

Currently, the organization is divided into 10 research teams: WTO Basic Rules and Regulations, China's WTO Entry and its Economy, Issues on the Integration of Agriculture and Textiles, Market Access Rules on Trade in Goods, Market Access Rules on Trade in Services, Rules Governing Trade-related Intellectual Property, Trade and Investment Measures, China's WTO Entry and Trade Remedies, New Topics and New Round of Negotiations, and WTO Publications Translations.

(China Daily 03/20/2001)