Editor's Note: During the fifteen years from 1986 to 2001, after arduous negotiations, China joined the World Trade Organization. Wang Lei, a lawyer from Gaopeng Law Firm, participated fully and deeply in the negotiation from the beginning, and was a legal person in the negotiation delegation. This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the WTO. Gao Pengsuo specially invited Lawyer Wang to write a series of articles to recall the details of those eventful years. We also take this opportunity to pay tribute to those who stood at the forefront of reform and opening up and worked hard in the negotiations for the national interests.

 

One day in July 2017, there was sad news that Tong Zhiguang, Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China, had passed away. Before taking office in the bank, he was Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the second negotiator for China's resumption negotiations.

佟部长阅历丰富，集翻译官、外交官、商人、“红色资本家”、部长、谈判代表和银行家于一身。他早年在外贸部担任翻译，先后在中国驻印度、缅甸的大使馆工作。1971年中国刚恢复联合国席位，他即在中国常驻联合国代表团工作。在中美还没建交只是互设联络处时，他就在华盛顿中美联络处任职。调回国内后，在中国粮油进出口公司做外贸实务，上世纪八十年代到香港担任华润公司总经理（香港同胞称他为“红色资本家”），多年后担任外经贸部副部长和第二任谈判代表，到龄后去了进出口银行任董事长。

Minister Tong has rich experience, integrating translators, diplomats, businessmen, "red capitalists", ministers, negotiators, and bankers. In his early years, he worked as a translator in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and successively worked at the Chinese embassies in India and Myanmar. In 1971, as soon as China resumed its seat in the United Nations, he worked for the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations. When China and the United States had not established diplomatic relations but only established liaison offices with each other, he served in the Sino American Liaison Office in Washington. After returning to China, he worked as a foreign trade practitioner in China Grain and Oil Import and Export Corporation. In the 1980s, he went to Hong Kong to serve as the general manager of China Resources Corporation (Hong Kong compatriots called him "Red Capitalist"). After many years, he served as the deputy minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the second negotiator. At his age, he went to the Import and Export Bank as the chairman of the board.

 

Secretary Tong is a famous American expert. When Coca Cola entered China, he was the guide. When Coca Cola withdrew from the Chinese market in 1949 and China and the United States established liaison offices with each other, Coca Cola found a liaison office and wanted to return to China. Tong Zhiguang, who works in the liaison office, explained to the other party that in Chinese news, Coca Cola and the image of American soldiers are linked together, and it is still difficult for China to accept the Western capitalist lifestyle. Coca Cola's entry into China is premature. A year later, Coca Cola persistently followed Tong Zhiguang, who returned to China to work for COFCO, to negotiate with COFCO. Finally, a few months before the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States in 1978, Coca Cola returned to the Chinese market.

 

During the pause of the China Working Group and the entanglement of the Taiwan issue, Minister Tong was appointed as the negotiator at a difficult time. His arrival brought a strong breeze to the negotiations that had fallen into a low ebb. Inside and outside the General Agreement Conference room, in the cafeteria, and on the walkway, a Chinese negotiator appeared chatting with representatives of various countries without an interpreter, sometimes with a hearty laugh. Minister Tong has a delicate suit, a slight paunch, raised legs, and walked calmly. He sits calmly and steadily, speaks with a clear and precise voice, and speaks slowly and methodically. He is completely a great power envoy with a calm and leisurely demeanor.

He is not only fluent in English, but also knowledgeable and proficient in both Chinese and Western languages; As a negotiator, he has a strategic mind, is resourceful, and combines hardness and softness; His early experience in serving in the United Nations mission has enabled him to deal with diplomats from countries of different sizes, backgrounds, and colors with ease and ease on multilateral occasions under the General Agreement; His experience as a company boss in the mainland and Hong Kong has enabled him to understand and apply such an intergovernmental trade contract as the General Agreement with ease; After years of permanent residence in the United States and decades of dealings with the United States, this "American savvy" Chinese minister has made the negotiating opponents on the other side of the ocean intertwined with love and hate.

 

On his long flight to and from Geneva, he read the English version of "The Wealth of Nations" and worked tirelessly. At the banquet table with European Union representatives, he talked about why the Chinese New Year has different dates each year. He told Europeans the story of Tang Ruowang's cultivation of the calendar. He likes to explain words to foreigners and introduce the meaning of "Guang" in his name. "The broad characters on one side are the roof, the left side is the wall, and the upper point is the chimney. There is a field in front of the house, and the grass characters on the top are the crops, and the two points below are the roots of the crops." Immediately, a rural freehand sketch showing the smoke rising from the kitchen on the house and the green grass seedlings in front of the door is vividly displayed. "With a clear mind, don't assume that bamboo has grown in your chest. Before you draw bamboo, you already have a good idea of how to draw it in your mind." Introduce China's history and culture in Western language and understanding habits, and the other party will love to hear and listen. At the same time, you also have deep respect for this elegant and humorous Chinese negotiator.

 

During the difficult years of negotiations, he was full of confidence in China's eventual participation in the multilateral trading system, as well as in the building of a moderately prosperous society in China in the future. "In the future, when you go out to work in the morning, you first open the drawer and choose one of several watches to wear. The dog chases you to the door to see you off. When you leave the door, you also have to think about which car you are driving to work today." At that time, it was 1992, and the scene he described felt remote, but within a few years, it became a reality. ".

 

Minister Tong has been serving as a negotiator for only one and a half years, making it the most difficult and complex period for China to enter the GATT negotiations. He has a good understanding of international affairs, looks at the situation as if it were fire, and assesses the situation; Dealing with representatives of major countries, with proper propriety and extraordinary conversation, can earn praise from opponents. From the perspective of Westerners, Minister Tong is a full international negotiator who can freely communicate face to face without being restricted by language barriers, conversation habits, and foreign cultures, and can express, imply, metaphorically, with words in his tone, and with words in his tone. Before each working group meeting, representatives of major countries inquired in advance about Minister Tong's schedule in Geneva during the meeting in order to arrange meetings, communications, and meals outside the meeting. That situation made our employees feel really good, because we know that this is the positive trend in the progress of the negotiations. In multilateral diplomacy, the General Assembly has gone through the motions, and small talks have been held on the issue of one-on-one showcasing. Deputy Director General of the General Agreement, Carlisle, is an American. One day, he invited Minister Tong to have one-on-one dinner. I felt something was about to happen. As expected, Kashijian disclosed the consideration of Taiwan's accession to the General Agreement by the main contracting parties of the United States and Europe, namely, establishing the conditions for Taiwan's accession through a statement by the President of the General Agreement Council. The other side played their cards, which led to the Council President's statement that China, the United States, and Europe had been negotiating for eight months.

 

While negotiating the Taiwan issue, another event that pushed the progress of the China Working Group was the conclusion of a market access agreement between China and the United States. In October 1992, Secretary Tong held the final round of market access negotiations with the United States in Washington. "Opening the market was originally an entry fee for China to enter the General Agreement, and China is prepared for this.". In return for opening up the market, China requires the United States to commit to supporting China's early entry into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, but the United States is unwilling to agree to this.

 

This year is the election year of the United States, and the election between President Bush and Clinton is at a time of intense heat. The negotiations are already on their final day, and the next day there will be a televised debate between Bush Sr. and Clinton. As "American Connect", Secretary Tong keenly sensed that the Bush administration needed to negotiate an agreement with China even more at this time. At noon, the US side announced that its trade representative, Carla Hills, would be on a business trip to Europe in the afternoon. If the two sides fail to reach a consensus, the negotiations can be concluded early. During the negotiations, the agenda was used as a pretext to pressure the other party to make concessions as soon as possible. This routine was seen as a minor trick by the veteran Minister Tong. "The minutes of the meeting stated that the US side terminated the negotiations. Can we announce to the media the end of the negotiations?" Minister Tong confidently led the army. After a moment, the other party said they would postpone their departure and leave in the evening.

 

"The 11 o'clock agreement at midnight" is a negotiation term that refers to the confrontation between the two sides until the last minute before finally reaching a compromise and agreement. Minister Tong is well versed in this, and he is very clear in his heart that even if it is 12:00 midnight, as long as both parties need it, they can stop the watch on the spot and freeze the time to continue the discussion. It is already 11:45 midnight, and the Chinese side insists that the agreement must state that the United States firmly supports China's entry into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. "That night, Sears did not go to Europe, and in the face of Secretary Tong's tone of no room for relaxation, she finally accepted after requesting instructions from the White House.".

"Firmly supporting China's entry into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)" later became a guiding principle in China's hands. In subsequent working group meetings and bilateral consultations and negotiations with the United States, whenever the United States raised difficulties and difficulties, Minister Tong spoke out loud and used this warning to beat the other party.

 

Minister Tong's wise strategy and the combination of hardness and softness during the negotiations have greatly benefited younger generations like me. "I sincerely admire the erudite and humorous manner, the generous and confident manner, and even the faint pride in his bones displayed in his interactions with Western people.". "Looking back on the past and reflecting on the present, the admiration and reverence for this outstanding economic and trade diplomat and old leader remain in my heart forever."

(This article is translated by software translator for reference only.)