China announced that it will not seek any new special and differential treatment in the current and future World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations.
“This is an important policy statement that reflects both domestic and international considerations,” said Li Chenggang, China international trade representative with the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and vice minister of commerce at a press briefing on Wednesday in Beijing.
“It demonstrates China’s firm commitment to safeguarding the multilateral trading system and to advancing the Global Development Initiative and Global Governance Initiative. It will inject strong impetus into trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and add positive energy to the reform of the global economic governance system,” Li said.
He added that China’s status as the world’s largest developing country “has not changed,” and stressed that the country will continue to defend the rights of developing members while working to advance global trade liberalization and reform of the WTO.
Han Yong, director general of the Department of WTO Affairs at the MOFCOM, said the move would help ensure that the WTO’s reform process keeps development at its core and better bridges the North-South divide in global trade.
He stressed that three aspects of China’s approach to WTO negotiations will remain unchanged: its status as a developing member, its determination to defend the legitimate rights of developing countries, and its commitment to promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.
Han added that China will keep development at the heart of WTO reform, push for updated rules on investment facilitation and e-commerce, and work with all members to strengthen the multilateral system.
The announcement was first made by Chinese Premier Li Qiang during his remarks at a high-level meeting on the Global Development Initiative, held on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly.
