Foreign envoys to WTO laud China's contribution to multilateral trading system

GENEVA, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Multiple countries praised China's trading policy and its active role in supporting a multilateral trading system on Wednesday as the World Trade Organization (WTO) started the eighth trade policy review of China in Geneva, Switzerland.

Russia commends China for its important leadership role in the WTO. "We highly appreciate and share Beijing's continuous support for multilateral trading system as embodied in the WTO," the Russian delegation to WTO said in a statement.

Russia strongly supports China's efforts in combatting protectionism and emerging forms of discrimination, especially in the form of unilateral measures, the statement added.

The Saudi delegation said that China plays a leading role in the rules-based multilateral trading system and regional trade agreements (RTAs) to continue its development and growth.

China is a politically and economically significant player in global trade, said the Philippine delegation, adding that despite the COVID-19-induced economic slowdown, the Chinese economy continues to be a major driver of global growth.

The delegation of Vietnam to the WTO acknowledged China's active contribution to the WTO and the world trade through its active and consistent participation in various ongoing processes in the organization, including the discussions of WTO reform, negotiations on fisheries subsidies, among others.

Not only has China's development strategy benefitted Chinese people, but its open and unique approach of pursuing "shared prosperity" and "trade for peace" through regional connectivity has opened new channels for trade and investment, the Pakistani delegation said in a statement.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the WTO.

Over the past two decades, China has fully fulfilled its accession commitments, actively participated in the work of the WTO, and made great contributions to upholding the multilateral trading system, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday.