At the second meeting of the WTO's ninth trade policy review of the Chinese mainland on Friday, the Chinese delegation refuted allegations of \"overcapacity\" and \"economic coercion\" raised by certain WTO members. The representatives actively engaged with concerns regarding China's trade policies.
The Chinese delegation highlighted the recent conclusion of the third plenary session of China's central leadership on July 18, which adopted a resolution aimed at further deepening comprehensive reforms to advance modernization. The delegation stated that the resolution underscores China's commitment to advancing reforms, expanding openness, and pursuing high-quality development, thereby offering new opportunities to the global community.
In response to specific criticisms about \"overcapacity\" and \"economic coercion,\" the delegation emphasized that China's subsidy policies fully comply with WTO rules. They attributed the success of Chinese enterprises to market competition rather than government support. Additionally, they pointed out that China's new energy products are pivotal in the global shift towards green and low-carbon technologies, asserting that current global demand negates any real \"overcapacity\" in these sectors.
The delegation firmly denied engaging in any \"economic coercion,\" asserting that such practices have never been part of China's trade policy. They criticized certain WTO members for employing \"long-arm jurisdiction,\" establishing restrictive lists, and arbitrarily sanctioning enterprises and individuals from other member countries, which they identified as the true sources of economic coercion.
Furthermore, the Chinese delegation addressed a wide range of issues transparently, including industrial policy, subsidies, state-owned enterprises, intellectual property protection, cyber security and data flow, government procurement, the construction of a unified national market, export controls, standards setting, inspection and quarantine measures, and transparency. They provided detailed explanations on policy objectives, operational specifics, implementation effects, and future directions, while clarifying China's stance on expanding market access for least developed countries, supporting developing members, and pragmatically handling special and differential treatment issues.
During the review, representatives from 71 WTO members spoke, many praising China's achievements in reform and opening-up and its significant contributions to the WTO. They expressed a desire to deepen economic and trade relations with the Chinese mainland, look forward to China's enhanced role in global economic recovery, practical cooperation with developing members, and the maintenance of the multilateral trading system.
Reference(s):
China responds to WTO members' concerns, refutes 'overcapacity' claims
cgtn.com
