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The World Trade Organization (WTO)'s next director-general Supachai Panitchpakdi has predicted that if everything goes well after China's WTO entry, the country will become one of the two or three largest economies in half a century, the Nation TV Channel in Bankok reported April 20.
"The WTO accession will help China to regain its historical economic prowess," he said during a recent interview here with the TV channel.
The former Thai deputy premier will take the helm of the WTO in September.
Supachai said China's upcoming revival will bring great changes to the world, but it will never be a threat to countries in Southeast Asia including Thailand.
"Instead, our region's trade and investment relations with China will increase greatly from an already high level, and we must look at China's quick rise as an opportunity, " he said.
Commenting on his new book, "China and the WTO: Changing China and Changing World Trade," the WTO's next chief said one of his intention in this book is to encourage China to continue economic reform efforts.
He said China's WTO membership has confirmed to everyone that the country will speed up reforms in economic, legal, administrative and other sectors.
"The WTO entry signalled China's willingness to play by international trade rules and bring its economy into harmony with the world, " Supachai said.
(Xinhua News Agengy April 22, 2002)
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