BEIJING. Oct 9: China is to renew it* request to the United States to approve Its re entry into GATT as soon as possible, when US Deputy Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky visits Beijing this week, a Chinese official said reports AFP

The latest series of Sino-American trade talks, which start Monday, will also address the GATT-linked questions of intellectual property and access to the Chinese market, added Ou Huarong. advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Trade

"We hope the United States would adopt a practical and constructive stance to ensure that negotiations before the end of this year on China's GATT access make positive progress Ou told the China DMly

"China's early re-entry to GATT benefits the US and other contracting members, he added

A founding member of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade). China left the organisation after the for mation of the communist government In 1949 and asked for readmission in 1986.

Beijing wants to re-enter GATT this year in order to form part of the new World Trade Organisation from its inception January 1995

Saying that his country had already extensively liberalised its economy in line with GATT regulations, Ou underlined, however, that reforms in China could only be carried out gradually so as not to compromise social stability.