Benefits of China's joining the WTO dwindling (2)

He said unless China "adds value" to new products, it will fall behind as countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia prove more competitive in terms of labor costs.

As Chinese companies move up the value chain, they should start creating national brands which lay the foundation to create global brands.

The global financial crisis since 2008 saw trade protectionism pick up worldwide, with China being the "most hit", said WTO Deputy Director-General Alejandro Jara.

"Protection today accounts for the trade size equivalent of Brazil and India combined, and it is on the rise," he said, adding he supports China going through WTO procedures to uphold its rights against rampant protectionist moves.

A total of 53 trade remedy cases have been launched against China in 2012, affecting $24.2 billion of exports, seven times the amount in 2011, said Ministry of Commerce spokesman Shen Danyang.

China and the EU are set to experience more friction in trade relations due to changing product profiles from China, said Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Center for International Political Economy, a Brussels-based think tank.

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