Domestic industries are also concerned over the opposition to China's bid to enter the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Zhu may lose face if he returns from the US empty-handed, according to the South China Morning Post.

In contrast, the Chinese media gave wide coverage to the recent visit of China's top legislator Li Peng to Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Though Zhu is Chinese premier and head of government, in the all powerful Communist Party hierarchy, he is ranked third, after former premier Li and President Jiang Zemin.

Chinese newspapers have not reported the huge concessions China has offered to the United States at the last minute during intense negotiations in Washington ahead of the Clinton-Zhu meeting at the White House.

According to westernmedia reports, China has offered substantial concessions in telecommunications, banking, insurance, high technology, travel and tourism and large tariff cuts in imports of cars, chemicals and wood and paper so as to clinch the WTO deal with the United States.

The Sino-US agriculture agreement, signed during Zhu's visit, received just two lines of coverage in Sunday's edition of the People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, with no details of its contents.

Analysts say China's WTO entry remains blocked because of strong opposition In Washington, especially in the Congress to Beijing's human rights policies, alleged theft of nuclear secrets, Tibet, Taiwan and other disputes.

However, China believes the economic differences between Beijing and Washington have been bridged and a deal should have been struck in Washington.