Zeng Jianhui, spokesman of the Fourth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC), made the remark at a press conference Sunday morning.

Zeng said that in the past year the NPC and its standing committee have finished making amendments to a number of laws in accordance with WTO laws and China's obligations, which include the Patent Law and Customs Law.

In addition, to open wider to the outside world and better implement its WTO commitments, the NPC and its standing committee have examined and revised four laws including the Law on Chinese Foreign Joint Ventures, Law on Foreign-Funded Enterprises, Copyright Law, and Trademark Law.

Zheng disclosed that during this NPC session, amendments relating to Law on Chinese Foreign Joint Ventures will be discussed and ratified in light with new situation of the market economy, which is based on China's determination to follow the international practice and willingness to embrace economic globalization.

To accelerate China's pace of WTO entry, the Standing Committee of the NPC will also go through and revise relevant laws like Anti-Trust Law, Law on Foreign Trade, and Law on Examination and Inspection of Imported and Exported Commodities.

The State Council has also revised the Administrative Rules in consistence with WTO rules. Those regulations that run counter against WTO rules will be abolished. It is estimated that some 140 statues of foreign trade will be revised and 570 abolished.

To guarantee a fair competition, anti-dumping and anti-subsidy regulations are being drafted at present.

At the press conference, Spokesman Zeng Jianhui also announced the NPC session agenda and answered questions concerning China's campaign to develop its western regions and the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

(CIIC by Guo Xiaohong 03/05/2001)