On December 13, 2023, Pascal Lamy, Vice Chairman of the Paris Peace Forum and former Director-General of the World Organization, visited the headquarters of the Center for Globalization (CCG) in Beijing to deliver a speech, and discussed with CCG Chairman Wang Huiyao on the theme of "Challenges to the Global System and Its Impact on the Development of the World in 2024 and Beyond", stimulating ideas and providing suggestions for the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference. At the meeting, Sun Yongfu, senior researcher of CCG and former director of the European Department of the Ministry of Commerce, Ji Wenhua, professor of the Law School of the University of International Business and Economics, and Li Siqi, associate professor of the Institute of China World Organization of the University of International Business and Economics, also expressed their comments as special guests.
In recent years, economic globalization has faced strong headwinds, and as a typical representative of today's global system, the world's leading organization has been criticized from all sides for a variety of reasons. The 13th WTO Ministerial Conference, which will be held in February 2024, will focus on the revitalization of multilateral institutions. At the same time, 2024 will usher in the United States, which will have a profound impact on the future world, and it is likely to further exacerbate people's concerns about the governance ability of the world's leading organizations. While world leaders are discussing the reform of the WTO, what are the prospects for reform, how will multilateral institutions advance the modernization agenda, and what role China will play in revitalizing multilateralism in the context of policy tightening and geopolitical differences catalyzing opposing bloc camps. This dialogue is taking place in this context.
In the opening remarks, CCG Chairman Wang Huiyao first warmly welcomed the guests and introduced the life and service of Mr. Pascal Lamy.
In the guest speech session, Mr. Lamy introduced the role that the EU and China will play in revitalizing the multilateral**. He said that globalization has been in progress and has not been interrupted. At present, globalization has encountered many challenges, and the process of reglobalization is very unpeaceful. In the past, globalization was mainly driven by big powers, but in the future globalization will be driven by everyone, and each country will have to do something to solve different opinions and produce the result of seeking common ground while reserving differences. He believes that despite the difficult environment, and without losing confidence in future investments, China and the EU can contribute to many global issues such as climate change, and work together to create more solid conditions.
In the dialogue session, CCG Chairman Wang Huiyao had a discussion with Mr. Lamy on issues such as climate change, global digital governance, and China's power in WTO reform. Chairman Wang Huiyao pointed out that China's accession to the WTO has yielded fruitful results in promoting economic globalization, but it has also encountered many headwinds. We need to strengthen the multilateral system, and issues such as climate change, digitalization, and AI are both challenges and opportunities. In the face of some urgent issues, it is crucial for countries to reach a consensus on governance standards through communication and compromise. It is hoped that the WTO will promote consensus in these new areas. China, the United States, Europe and other countries need to strengthen consultations, and the EU can play a more active role.
In his speech, Lamy pointed out that the protection of the earth is urgent, and the issues of climate change and biodiversity have become a general consensus in the world today. As far as global digital governance and artificial intelligence management are concerned, he believes that sovereign countries and ** need to regulate the risks that artificial intelligence may bring, and at the same time, the public also needs to believe that the management of artificial intelligence needs to be scientific and turn it into a public good that serves the public. On the issue of WTO reform, he stressed the need for a legally binding body to ensure that the resolution is taken seriously, and that the credibility of the WTO is here.
Subsequently, Sun Yongfu, senior researcher of CCG and former director of the European Department of the Ministry of Commerce, Ji Wenhua, professor of the Law School of the University of International Business and Economics, and Li Siqi, associate professor of the Institute of China World Organization of the University of International Business and Economics, delivered comments as special guests.
Sun Yongfu proposed to Mr. Lamy how to view the year-on-year decline in the bilateral ** between China and the EU in the first three quarters of 2023, and what is the outlook for the prospects of China and the EU**.
According to Lamy, there are three reasons for this: first, weak investment between China and the EU;Second, many of the EUCHA's demands in China have not been addressed, and the assessment of China's ease of investment has declinedThird, the European Parliament believes that China's overreaction to the freezing of the EU-China investment agreement has led European companies to move or retreat, and it will take time to resolve.
Professor Ji Wenhua asked Mr. Lamy what role the EU could play in the reform of the dispute settlement mechanism in order to form a joint force for reform.
In his answer, Lamy stressed that the dispute settlement needs to be binding, that negotiations without binding force would be a dead letter, and that the most critical issue is to get the United States to accept what it has not accepted before. In this regard, the EU could serve as an intermediate node in the implementation of the resolution.
In response to Professor Li Siqi's question, Lamy pointed out that in WTO negotiations, it will be difficult for both sides to solve the problem if both sides make concessions conditional on their own concessions. On the issue of barriers, he believes that it is very important to form a consensus among the major powers.
In the Q&A session, in response to the question of China's clean energy technology and economic highlights in 2023, Lamy believes that China's electric vehicle subsidies are very strong, and domestic demand is lower than production capacity, so it must be exported to target markets such as Europe, the United States, and Japan. However, he admits that Europe can only absorb part of its capacity, and it is difficult to absorb it completely.
The conference was attended by William Klein, Consulting Partner at FGS Global and former Minister Counsellor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and Adam Pickford, Economic and Policy Counsellor at the British Embassy.
On the day of the meeting, Mr. Pascal Lamy and his assistants also met with Chen Deming, Honorary Chairman of the CCG and former Minister of Commerce, Yi Xiaozhun, former Vice Minister of Commerce and former Deputy Director General of the WTO, and other leaders of the Ministry of Commerce and relevant departments.
Pascal Lamy served two terms as Director-General of the World Organization (WTO) from 2005 to 2013. Previously, he served as Commissioner of the European Union (1999-2004), Director General of the Banco de Lyon (1994-1999), Chief of Staff and Senior Preparatory Officer for the G7 (1985-1994), former President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, Deputy Head of the Office of the Prime Minister of France (1983-1985) and Deputy Director of the French Ministry of Economy and Finance (1981-1983).
His latest publications include Strange New World (Odile Jacobs, 2020) and Where Will the World Go?(Odile Jacobs, 2018).