Former US chief trade negotiator Charlene Barshefsky had many clashes with China's Long Yongtu

THE SENIOR PARTNER asked the new recruit to his law firm if she would like to work on a dumping case. No, came the reply, she would feel uncomfortable arguing against environmental interests.

The partner replied this had nothing to do with the environment and the junior employee soon learned that dumping was to do with unfair competition caused by subsidised products being sold below market prices.

The new recruit was Charlene Barshefsky. Neither she nor the senior partner imagined that about 20 years later, in 1996, she would become the United States' chief trade negotiator, with a reputation for being tough and a master of detail.

Ms Barshefsky's crowning achievement during her period as US trade representative was concluding the landmark bilateral trade agreement with China on November 15, 1999. This was perhaps the biggest hurdle to be cleared to facilitate China's recent accession to the World Trade Organisation.

Her main sparring partner on the Chinese side during these arduous negotiations was Long Yongtu who, in a recent interview with a Chinese magazine, gave his version of events surrounding the final negotiations on the bilateral agreement in Beijing.

Mr Long claimed that the Americans bluffed on the evening before the agreement was signed by pretending homeward flights had been booked for the morning of November 15, putting pressure on the Chinese to close a deal.

The American delegation then called Mr Long at midnight to arrange a meeting at 4.30am, explaining the strange time of the meeting was 'because we are used to American time', according to Mr Long.