Core Points - The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Iweala, welcomed China's announcement not to seek new special and differential treatment in current and future WTO negotiations, viewing it as a strong signal supporting WTO reform [1] - This announcement was made by China during a high-level meeting on the Global Development Initiative hosted by China at the United Nations headquarters in New York [1] - Iweala emphasized that this decision marks a critical moment for the WTO and reflects China's commitment to building a more balanced and fair global trading system [1] - The move is expected to invigorate discussions related to the WTO and contribute to the establishment of a more flexible and efficient organization [1]

Core Viewpoint - The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, welcomed China's announcement of not seeking new special and differential treatment in current and future WTO negotiations, viewing it as a strong signal supporting WTO reform [1] Group 1 - China's decision reflects its commitment to building a more balanced and equitable global trade system [1] - This move is seen as a critical moment for the WTO, potentially revitalizing discussions related to trade reforms [1] - The initiative is expected to contribute to creating a more flexible and efficient organization [1]

Core Points - China announced at the 80th United Nations General Assembly that it will not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, positioning itself as a responsible developing country [1] - WTO Director-General Iweala welcomed China's decision, stating it marks a turning point for the organization and reflects a commitment to a more balanced and fair global trading system [1] - China's decision sends a strong signal in support of WTO reform and aims to create a fairer competitive environment for all members [1]

Core Viewpoint - China's announcement to not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future WTO negotiations signifies a strategic shift towards greater responsibility and engagement in global trade governance [1][4][6] Group 1: China's Position in WTO - The decision is limited to "current and future negotiations," meaning existing special and differential treatment rights under past agreements remain intact [2][3] - China's status as a developing country within the WTO framework is unchanged, allowing continued participation in all WTO matters [2][3] - The move reflects China's transition from a "rule taker" to a "rule maker," indicating a proactive stance in shaping global trade rules [2][4] Group 2: Implications for Global Trade - This decision is seen as a commitment to multilateralism and a signal of China's willingness to contribute to global economic governance [4][5] - It may alleviate long-standing trade tensions between China and the U.S., potentially facilitating WTO reforms [6] - The announcement is expected to enhance China's international influence and ability to shape trade rules that align with its interests [5][6] Group 3: Support for Other Developing Countries - China emphasizes its support for other developing nations to maintain their rights to special and differential treatment, reinforcing the inclusive principles of the multilateral trading system [5][6] - The decision serves as a model for other emerging economies, demonstrating how to balance national interests with international responsibilities [6]

Core Points - China remains the largest developing country in the world, and its status and identity as a developing country have not changed [1] - China will continue to align with the goals of Chinese-style modernization, deepen reforms, and expand high-level opening-up to promote high-quality development [1] - China is committed to maintaining the multilateral trading system and will actively participate in WTO reforms and adjustments to international economic and trade rules [1] - China aims to place development at the center of the WTO reform process and work towards achieving more development-oriented outcomes [1] - The country seeks to promote a more just and reasonable global economic governance system [1]

Core Viewpoint - China, as a responsible developing country, will not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future WTO negotiations, emphasizing its commitment to multilateral trade and global governance initiatives [2][4][5] Group 1: China's Position in WTO - China joined the WTO in 2001 as a developing member and has enjoyed special and differential treatment, which includes lower levels of commitments and longer transition periods [4] - The announcement reflects China's proactive stance in supporting the multilateral trading system amid rising unilateralism and protectionism [5][7] Group 2: Implications for Global Trade - The decision is expected to inject confidence and direction into global economic cooperation, supporting WTO reforms and promoting a cooperative environment [7][8] - China's commitment to not seeking new special treatment sends a strong signal of responsibility and collaboration among major economies, enhancing stability in the global economy [8][9] Group 3: Future Actions and Goals - China will continue to uphold its status as a developing member and advocate for the rights of developing countries while pushing for the liberalization and facilitation of global trade and investment [9] - Future efforts will focus on opposing unilateralism, updating WTO rules, and achieving development-oriented outcomes at the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in March 2026 [9]

Core Viewpoint - China maintains its status as the largest developing country, emphasizing its commitment to multilateral trade systems and global development initiatives [1][5][6] Group 1: China's Position in WTO - China joined the WTO as a developing member in 2001, entitled to special and differential treatment, which includes lower commitments and longer transition periods [3][4] - The WTO has 157 special and differential treatment clauses, with 9 applicable only to the least developed countries, indicating that not all developing members receive the same benefits [3] - China has historically received fewer special and differential treatments compared to other developing members, actively participating in negotiations and contributing to global trade liberalization [4][6] Group 2: Commitment to Multilateral Trade - In light of challenges to the multilateral trade system, China announced it will not seek new special and differential treatments in current and future WTO negotiations, reinforcing its support for multilateralism [5][6] - This decision is seen as a significant step towards promoting global trade cooperation and reforming the WTO to better address international economic challenges [6][7] - China's actions are intended to boost confidence in the multilateral trade system and signal its commitment to working collaboratively with other members [6][7] Group 3: Future Directions - China aims to deepen reforms and expand high-level openness while focusing on high-quality development, positioning itself as a leader in global trade discussions [1][6] - The country emphasizes the importance of addressing development issues within the WTO framework, aiming to bridge the gap between developed and developing nations [7][8] - Future efforts will include advocating for the inclusion of investment facilitation and e-commerce agreements in WTO regulations, as well as achieving development-oriented outcomes in upcoming ministerial meetings [8]

WTO Reform & China's Role - China will no longer seek special and differential treatment (SDT) in new WTO agreements [1] - This announcement is considered a major step towards WTO reform [1] - The WTO Director-General praised China's leadership on this issue [1] - The US believes that WTO reform is impossible unless major economies like China relinquish SDT [1]

Core Points - The global trade system has been impacted by unilateral tariff actions from the United States, yet it retains a resilient multilateral core [3][7][8] - Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first female and African Director-General of the WTO, emphasizes the need for reform and addressing key issues within the organization [5][9] - The WTO's Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, which took 21 years to negotiate, has recently come into effect, marking a significant achievement for multilateral trade [7][8] Group 1: Current Trade Environment - The WTO predicts a 0.9% growth in global merchandise trade for the year, a decrease from the pre-tariff forecast of 2.7% [8] - Despite challenges, approximately 72% of global trade is still conducted under WTO rules, down from 80% before the tariffs [7][8] Group 2: Reform and Challenges - Reform is identified as a critical task for the WTO, with a focus on addressing member concerns regarding fairness, transparency, and inclusivity in the trade system [9][10] - The decision-making process within the WTO, which requires consensus among all 166 members, is a significant point of contention, often hindering timely decisions [10] Group 3: Dispute Resolution Mechanism - The WTO's dispute resolution mechanism remains operational despite the suspension of the appellate body since 2019, with ongoing consultations for 16 cases [11][12] - A temporary multilateral appeal arrangement (MPIA) has been established by several members to address the lack of functioning appellate judges, covering 57.6% of global trade [12]

Core Viewpoint - The importance of reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO) is reiterated, emphasizing the need for the dispute resolution mechanism to return to normal operations and the significance of open, inclusive, resilient, and stable supply chains [1] Group 1: WTO Reform and Development - The statement highlights the necessity of supporting developing members and least developed countries to better integrate into the multilateral trading system [1] - There is a call for Belarus, Iran, and Uzbekistan to join the WTO as soon as possible, indicating a push for broader participation in global trade [1] - The upcoming 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in 2026 is anticipated to yield practical results [1] Group 2: Characteristics of the Statement - The statement is characterized by its high-level nature, being the first time that heads of state from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have issued a joint declaration specifically supporting the multilateral trading system [1] - The timing of the statement is noted as appropriate, coinciding with recent agreements among some WTO members regarding "reciprocal tariffs" [1] - The emphasis on development is clear, with a commitment to assist developing members in achieving industrialization and supporting least developed countries in better integrating into the multilateral trading system [1]