On May 16, Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng met with WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo, who came to China to attend the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Qingdao. The two sides exchanged views on the development of multilateral trade system and Doha Round negotiations.
Gao said China is a firm supporter and an important contributor of multilateral trade system. Since 2001 when China joined in the World Trade Organization, it has soared to be the world’s largest power of trade in goods from ranking the sixth, become the largest trade partner of 128 countries, and the largest export market of the least developed countries for five consecutive years.
Gao said China has been holding the belief that multilateral trade system represented by the World Trade Organization is the main channel and footstone to enhance global trade and investment liberalization. Bilateral and regional FTA negotiations are favorably complementary to multilateral trade system rather than a replacement. Therefore, China attaches great importance to WTO’s role in promoting the development of global economy and international trade along with bilateral and regional FTA negotiations. China will continue to play a constructive role in pushing forward the completion of Doha Round negotiations as soon as possible and make contribution to a fair, reasonable and transparent multilateral trade system.
Azevedo spoke highly of the constructive role China has played in multilateral trade system as well as its contribution to the Bali meeting at the end of last year. He said China has become a core member of WTO and expected China to play a bigger role in Doha Round negotiations.
Yu Jianhua, ambassador and permanent representative of China to the WTO, and Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen were present at the meeting.