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Clinton Administration Advocating China's Entry Into WTO

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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, having played a busy role in those Mideast talks, President Clinton today turned his attention toward another major player on the international scene, and that is China. From the White House, CNN's Chris Black fills us in on a looming trade battle, which finds the White House going to bat for Beijing -- Chris.

CHRIS BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Natalie, President Clinton today announced what he called an all-out effort to convince the American public and the Congress to support China's entry into the World Trade Organization. Just before leaving the White House to go and speak at a memorial service for the late Admiral Zumwalt, the president began to make the case for congressional approval.

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WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This agreement is a good deal for America. Our products will gain better access to China's market in every sector, from agriculture to telecommunications to automobiles. But China gains no new market access to the United States, nothing beyond what it already has.

In fact, we'll gain tough new safeguards against surges of imports and maintain the strongest possible rules against dumping products that have hurt Americans in the past.

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BLACK: The president has named Commerce Secretary William Daley and deputy chief of staff Steve Ricchetti to head up the administration's lobbying team on the issue. The president made his announcement after a high-ranking team of administration officials held a strategy session at the White House to plan the campaign. White House officials say that this campaign will involve a lot more than just big business. They intend to involve elements from the high-tech sector and also from the farming community: potentially big beneficiaries of this policy.

This, they say, is the way to make it easier for some members of Congress to support the policy.

The president just said again today that China is way too big a market to ignore and -- to ignore, and by bringing the country into the World Trade Organization, he will be requiring China to play by the same rules as the rest of the international community -- Natalie.

ALLEN: Chris Black at the White House.

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