US supports China on Gatt

PEKING (AP) - China and the United States yesterday resumed Gatt talks suspended since 1989, when Peking crushed a pro-democracy movement, and the US side said it supported China's admission to Gatt, the world trade agreement.

Doug Newkirk, the assistant US trade representative for Gatt affairs, opened two days of talks with Chinese officials on 'elements necessary for a protocol of accession to Gatt', said a US spokeswoman.

'The United States has agreed to staunchly support China's application subject to agreement of an acceptable protocol,' she added.

Mr Newkirk's talks with Tong Zhiguang, the deputy minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, were the first in nearly four years on Gatt.