Any possible WTO agreement must be viewed against the background of the Chinese government not complying with agreements it has signed. China's compliance with a well-conceived, commercially acceptable and enforceable WTO agreement would be an improvement over China's wholesale violations of international trade practices. However, with China's pattern of refusing to play by the rules, a WTO agreement that is not realistic or enforceable will wreak havoc on the international trade regime. As events leading up to the Seattle Ministerial and the Ministerial itself illustrate, the WTO is on shaky ground. Unless China's WTO accession is done properly, it will further weaken the organization.
Enforcement is key.
There is little evidence that the Chinese government will honor the commitments it makes in either a bilateral or multilateral forum. Of particular concern is the significant level of unauthorized use of software by both private enterprises and government ministries. In 1992 and 1994, China signed agreements that it would not export products of forced labor to the U.S. and would allow visits of U.S. officials to suspected sites. The Laogai Research Foundation has also documented nearly 1,100 forced labor camps in China. In these camps there is no due process, no compensation for work, conditions are severe and physical punishment is rampant.