China has submitted a position paper to the World Trade Organization (WTO) outlining its vision for reforming the institution, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced. This is the first policy document submitted by Beijing since the official launch of the WTO reform process in June 2022.
According to a ministry official, this document sets out in a "comprehensive and systematic" manner the Chinese position in the current context, marked by major challenges to the multilateral trading system and by the evolving development needs of members.
The text reaffirms China's support for "open and inclusive" economic globalization and its commitment to the multilateral trading system. Beijing insists on the need to advance WTO reform in order to preserve its central role in the governance of international trade.
China also argues that development should be central to the reform agenda. It calls for helping developing countries to capitalize on new growth dynamics, particularly in the areas of the digital economy, the green transition, and artificial intelligence.
The document proposes opening discussions on government measures that could create trade distortions. It also emphasizes the importance of respecting the diversity of economic systems and development levels among members.
Beijing is finally calling for a consensus on fair competition rules, in order to build an international business environment better suited to the needs of industrial development.
China points out that it had already published a position paper in 2018 and submitted a reform proposal in 2019, claiming to have been among the first to call for "necessary" reform of the WTO. This new document comes as the organization seeks to modernize its rules in the face of rising trade tensions and changes in the global economy.
