SCIO press conference on WTO's eighth trade policy review of China

Economy
The State Council Information Office (SCIO) held a press conference on Oct. 28 in Beijing to brief the media on the WTO's eighth trade policy review of China.

China.org.cnUpdated:  November 4, 2021

Bloomberg:

My question is that it seems there are a lot more criticisms of China this time at the review than at the seventh review last time. Please tell us your thoughts on these criticisms from Japan, the U.S., the EU, Australia and other nations. Were they justified anywhere? Will you be making any changes in answer to these criticisms? Thank you.

Yan Dong:

Thank you for asking. Mr. Wang has given a detailed answer to your question, especially on China's WTO commitment. The review members raised questions and concerns varying widely. China is a major trading partner of more than 120 economies globally, spotlighting its trade policies. We fully understand it. So, we made written replies before the review meeting to the 2,151 questions raised by WTO members and explained and clarified specific concerns of some members of the meeting. We believe that such two-way interaction is positive and effective and fully demonstrates the value of the trade policy review mechanism.

Of course, we will work on the concerns of relevant members and look forward to further exchanges and communication with them on other occasions. Thank you.

Wang Shouwen:

I'd like to add more. As I mentioned just now, China will take seriously questions, concerns, complaints, and even criticisms raised at the policy review. But I'd like to classify these comments and criticisms into two categories. For the questions in the first category stipulated in the WTO agreements, we will improve what we did not do well following the WTO agreements and sustain what we did well. The questions in the other category, including the criticisms raised by some members, as the journalist mentioned, may have gone beyond the WTO provisions. Therefore, they should be taken as a "wish list" because it is unfair, unreasonable, and unacceptable to make China fulfill obligations beyond the WTO under the remit of the WTO. I'd like to repeat that China will take all concerns seriously as stipulated in WTO agreements to fulfill its WTO obligations. But it is inappropriate to demand China fulfill obligations beyond the WTO boundaries. Thank you.

<  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  >  


MORE FROM China SCIO