Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue made the remark when asked to comment on the reports that the US formally announced PNTR status for China.
Zhang said that the US' annual renewal of the normal trade relations for China, the former most-favored-nation treatment, has had a negative impact on the development of bilateral economic and trade relations.
The solution to the PNTR issue removed a big obstacle in bilateral economic and trade cooperation, thus creating conditions for the further steady and sound development of bilateral economic and trade relations, said Zhang.
She pointed out that China, as a new member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), will strictly abide by the WTO rules, and continuously strengthen economic and trade cooperation with all countries in the world including the US on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.
China's position on this issue is firm, added Zhang, hoping that China and the US will make concerted efforts to create favorable conditions and environment for the development of bilateral economic and trade relations.
(People's Daily December 28, 2001)
