The aftermath of China's accession to the World Trade Organization

To fill a glaring gap in the existing literature, the discussion pays special attention to the international dimension, in particular to ascertaining how WTO membership may bear on China's world status and affect Chinese relations with key players in the world. The word aftermath in the title indicates that the article does not go into the process of China's negotiations for its WTO accession, which is passé and adequately covered in the literature, it is meant to convey a broad range of connotations such as "effects," "impact," upshot," "implications," and "significance" of the landmark development. My discussion covers seven basic aspects of this situation: (1) the effects on China and the world economy; (2) the "China threat"; (3) the implications for the United States and U.S.-China relations; (4) the impact on the Asian region; (5) relations between China and the EU; (6) the significance for the future of "Greater China"; and (7) the possible meaning for China with regard to its role in world affairs-whether or not WTO membership confers a major-power status that has eluded it in the past. I have to be selective, but I also try to offer as broad a coverage as manageable within the space of an article. A caveat is also in order. Because China's entry into the WTO took effect only in December 2001, the analysis here has to rely in part on incomplete data and on reasonable projections, to be duly updated as new evidence becomes available.