Benefits of membership

Ten years ago, when China officially became the 143rd member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), wolf crying was pervasive.

The one conspicuous fact, acknowledged by leaders of the world's major trade establishments and reiterated by President Hu Jintao yesterday at the forum commemorating the 10th anniversary of the country's WTO membership, is that China committed far more for its admittance than other emerging economies. This was hardly mentioned at home then.

And it was not clear at the time whether China's industries, which were believed to be weak and inadequately prepared, would be able to survive the immediate head-to-head encounters with overseas competitors.