China's long march to WTO entry

GENEVA, Switzerland -- World Trade Organization officials say arrangements are complete for the acceptance of China into the 142-nation trading organization.

Negotiators have finalized technical arrangements clearing a way for the WTO to vote on accepting China when it meets in November in Doha, Qatar.

Below is a catalogue of the key events relating to China's 15-year bid to join the WTO.

1986 -- China applies to join General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), predecessor to WTO.

1989 -- China's suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square on June 4 derails negotiations.

November 1995 -- China unveils economic and trade reforms aimed at winning U.S. backing to enter the WTO. It plans to slash import tariffs by 30 percent and allow joint venture companies to be set up.

April 8, 1999 -- President Bill Clinton and Premier Zhu Rongji sign a joint statement in Washington welcoming substantial progress and committing them to completion of a WTO deal by the end of the year. The gap is closed on about 90 percent of WTO issues.

May 7, 1999 -- China freezes WTO talks after NATO forces accidentally bomb the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.

September 11, 1999 -- Clinton and Chinese President Jiang Zemin agree on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in New Zealand to resume WTO negotiations.

November 15, 1999 -- U.S. and China announce a WTO pact. China agrees to open a wide range of markets, from agriculture to telecommunications. Clinton must persuade the U.S. Congress to grant China permanent normal trade relations (PNTR).

May 19, 2000 -- The European Union signs a WTO accession pact with China.

October 10 -- Clinton signs a law giving China normal trade status with U.S.

January, 2001 -- Further multilateral talks end in acrimony as China and some WTO members disagree on farm subsidies.

June 9 -- China and the U.S. announce consensus on issues holding up China's entry, including farm subsidies, after meetings on the sidelines of an APEC trade ministers' meeting.

June 20 -- The European Union says it has resolved outstanding bilateral issues with China over its accession.

September 14 -- WTO members agree on terms for China's entry at an informal meeting, clearing the way for the nation to join by the end of the year.

November 10 -- Trade ministers from across the world officially approve China's entry. The move was approved unanimously at the WTO meeting in the Gulf state of Qatar

December 11 -- China ends its 15-year quest to join, officially becoming a fully-fledged member of the international trading system.

Reuters contributed to this report.