China supports concluding negotiations on fishery subsidies before WTO conference

BEIJING, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- China supports concluding the negotiations on fisheries subsidies at an early date and setting new subsidy rules before the 12th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the country's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday.

Reaching an agreement will contribute to the sustainable development of marine fisheries and is of great significance to revitalizing multilateralism and safeguarding the position of the multilateral trading regime as the main channel for international rules-setting, MOC spokesperson Shu Jueting told a press conference.

As a developing country and a major fishery nation, China will continue to participate in the negotiations in an active and constructive manner, honor international obligations commensurate with its own development stage and capacity, and push for the conclusion of the negotiations as scheduled, said Shu.

The 12th WTO Ministerial Conference, set for Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 in Geneva, will be an important meeting at a critical stage for the development of economic globalization, she said.

"All members look forward to the outcomes of the conference, and are conducting intensive negotiations and carefully preparing for the meeting," said Shu.

China is willing to work with all parties to support the inclusive development of the multilateral trading system, support the legitimate rights and interests of developing members, and firmly maintain the position of the multilateral trading regime as the main channel for international rules-setting, she said.

Shu pledged joint efforts to achieve positive results in areas such as fisheries subsidies and global cooperation against the pandemic, along with progress on issues like reform of the appellate body and e-commerce.

She also stressed the need to safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the WTO, so that the organization can play a greater role in the recovery and governance of the global economy.