Taylor Joynson advises China on WTO accession

China is committed to liberalising professional practice, according to the City lawyer who bagged the job of acting for the People's Republic in its entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO).Taylor Joynson Garrett partner Martin Baker - who has worked on Chinese business since 1992 - joined eight lawyers from Brussels, North America, South Korea and Hong Kong in Beijing recently for three days brainstorming in advance of China's accession to the WTO.China concluded agreements with the WTO in September, but it becomes a member officially at the end of this month.

Almost 600 Chinese rules must be scrapped - and 20 rules created - before the latent superpower meets WTO requirements.Mr Baker will work with the other lawyers advising the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation in Beijing - often duplicating work to give China the fullest legal picture.Chinese lawyers came under pressure to help liberalise their country for foreign practitioners at the first conference of world city bar associations held earlier this month in New York (see [2001] Gazette, 15 November, 3).

The process of joining the WTO has in recent years led to some restrictions on foreign lawyers being dropped.Mr Baker said he was sure that China is committed to liberalisation, and said he may work on the legal issues arising from liberalisation at some stage in the future.TJG does not have an office in Beijing, though it works closely with foreign and domestic firms on the ground.

However, Mr Baker said: 'It's certainly something we're going to give serious consideration to.'Jeremy Fleming