China to relinquish WTO privileges in show of support for multilateral trade

“China, as a responsible major developing country, will not seek new special and differential treatment in the current and future negotiations of the WTO,” said Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Without naming specific countries, Li said on the sidelines of the assembly that the trend of a multipolar world and globalisation was irreversible, and the pursuit of decoupling would only harm the global economy and undermine international order.

“We should work together to uphold the international system with the UN at its core, adhere to multilateralism and free trade, strive to build an open world economy, and achieve more dynamic global development.”

Its seven-member appellate body, empowered to deliver binding judgments after hearing arguments from all parties, has not had a quorum since 2019 due to the US blocking all new appointees. Limited workarounds have been employed to bypass this roadblock, but consensus has yet to be reached among major members to resolve this and other issues permanently.