The 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Organization is being held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. This session is the first ministerial meeting after the launch of WTO reform, focusing on WTO reform, rebuilding the dispute settlement mechanism, promoting investment facilitation and other issues, and is regarded as an important opportunity to revitalize the multilateral system and jointly address global challenges. China firmly upholds the multilateral system, attaches great importance to the work of the WTO, and will work with all parties to promote the success of the WTO and jointly build an open world economy.
At present, the world economy is recovering slowly, the growth momentum is insufficient, protectionism and pan-security are impacting the world economy, and global challenges such as food and energy security, climate change, and development imbalances are increasing. The WTO is an important pillar of multilateralism and an important arena for global governance. It is a general consensus and the trend of the times to carry out necessary reforms of the WTO, promote multilateral rules to keep pace with the times, and enable the WTO to play a greater role in global economic governance. The outcome document of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference held in June 2022 reaffirmed the strengthening of the multilateral system with the WTO at its core and the promotion of the necessary reform of the WTO, which boosted the confidence of all parties in the multilateral system.
To promote WTO reform, it is necessary to firmly safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral system with the WTO at its core, and actively promote the restoration of the normal operation of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. The rules-based multilateral system with the WTO as the core is the cornerstone of economic globalization and freedom, and has made important contributions to promoting global development, economic growth and sustainable development. In recent years, unilateralism and protectionism have risen, and the multilateral system has suffered a serious impact. The reform of the WTO should safeguard the position of the multilateral system as the main channel in the process of global liberalization and facilitation, and give priority to the key issues that threaten the survival of the WTO.
Since its accession to the WTO, China has always firmly supported the multilateral system, practiced true multilateralism, earnestly fulfilled its WTO commitments, and fully and deeply participated in WTO reform. In the past year, China became the first major developing country to complete the ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, led the conclusion of negotiations on the text of the Agreement on Investment Facilitation, and promoted the substantive conclusion of the WTO negotiations on some global digital rules, making a significant contribution to the WTO and global economic and trade development. At this session, China supports the resumption of the normal operation of the dispute settlement mechanism and the inclusion of the Investment Facilitation Agreement in the legal framework of the WTO, so as to promote more practical outcomes of the Conference with concrete actions. WTO Director-General Iweala pointed out that China has always participated constructively in the work of the WTO, and while defending its own legitimate rights and interests, it has been able to think about and deal with issues from the standpoint of all members.
To promote WTO reform, we must adhere to the general direction of economic globalization, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, oppose politicization, and pan-security of economic and trade issues, and promote the building of an open world economy. Unilateralism and protectionism run counter to global sustainable development and are also the root cause of the current WTO crisis. From fully participating in the Doha Round negotiations on various issues to actively promoting the process of plurilateral liberalization, from vigorously promoting the discussion of new WTO issues to earnestly implementing the Facilitation Agreement, China has unswervingly led the process of economic globalization and contributed its wisdom and solutions to the maintenance of the multilateral system. "China plays a pivotal role in the multilateral system and has made positive contributions to the maintenance of the multilateral system. Said Riyad Maizur, Morocco's Minister of Industry, Investment and Digital Economy.
To promote WTO reform, it is necessary to uphold the core values and basic principles of the WTO, such as openness, inclusiveness and non-discrimination, and safeguard the development interests and policy space of developing countries. In recent years, in order to pursue their own selfish interests, individual countries have violated WTO rules, implemented unilateral bullying, formulated discriminatory industrial policies, disrupted the global industrial chain, seriously affected the international order, and harmed the common interests of WTO members. China adheres to the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and takes concrete actions to support the integration of developing countries into the multilateral system. The high-level forum of the 12th WTO "China Project" roundtable held recently helped more regional countries join the WTO as soon as possible and benefit by sharing the examples of Arab countries' accession to the WTO, optimizing technical assistance and capacity building. China will continue to carry out South-South cooperation within the framework of the multilateral system, further implement the "China Project", and enhance the openness, inclusiveness, inclusiveness and balance of the multilateral system.
As the largest developing member of the WTO and an active participant, staunch supporter and important contributor to the multilateral system, China will, as always, support the reform of the WTO in the right direction, support the inclusive development of the multilateral system, support the legitimate rights and interests of developing members, and promote the WTO to play a greater role in improving global economic governance and promoting the prosperity and stability of the world economy.