China has urged World Trade Organization (WTO) members to oppose unilateral tariffs and support the multilateral trading system during a two-day meeting of the WTO’s General Council in Geneva.
At the meeting, which concluded on Wednesday, the Chinese delegation highlighted the increasing turbulence in global trade. They noted that uncertainty is on the rise, and there are growing risks of fragmentation in the global market.
According to China’s statement, new unilateral tariff measures have emerged in recent months, affecting trade volumes worth $2.7 trillion—the highest since 2009. These restrictive measures are causing concern among WTO members.
The Chinese delegation called for strengthened solidarity and cooperation among WTO members. They emphasized the need to uphold WTO principles like most-favored-nation treatment and non-discrimination.
China elaborated on its “SDR” framework, which stands for “Stability as the cornerstone, Development as the priority, and Reform as the pathway.” This framework aims to support the integration of developing members into the global trading system and advance WTO reforms.
Moreover, the delegation stressed that any bilateral agreements or measures taken to ease trade tensions must comply with WTO rules. They also suggested that the WTO Secretariat should enhance its monitoring of unilateral measures and inform members about potential negative impacts.
Other WTO members, including Brazil, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and Venezuela, echoed China’s concerns. They agreed that escalating trade tensions are not in the common interest and that unilateral tariffs undermine the foundation of multilateral rules.
They pointed out that such measures increase costs for businesses and consumers, especially harming vulnerable developing members. In light of these challenges, they emphasized that supporting the multilateral trading system is more crucial than ever.
