U.S., CHINA SIGN TRADE ACCORD

Brushing aside the concerns of human rights organizations, the U.S. signed several trade pacts with China. The agreements seek to increase cooperation in areas such as telecommunications, chemicals, electric power, aviation and electronics, in which the U.S. can provide cutting-edge technology to the Chinese. The likely result: in the long run, helping make China a formidable industrial power; in the short run, reducing China's $23 billion trade surplus with the United States.