In Geneva, the two-day World Trade Organization General Council meeting wrapped up Wednesday with a clear message from the Chinese delegation: unilateral tariffs threaten the fabric of global commerce.
In a formal statement, the delegation highlighted surging trade turbulence, warning that uncertainty and fragmentation are on the rise. Recent months have seen new unilateral tariff measures impacting $2.7 trillion in trade—the highest level on record since 2009.
Against this backdrop, China urged WTO members to strengthen solidarity and cooperation in defense of the multilateral trading system. Its three-pronged SDR framework—Stability, Development, and Reform—calls for upholding core WTO principles like most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment and non-discrimination, integrating developing members, and pushing forward deep reforms.
The delegation also stressed that bilateral deals aimed at easing tensions must align with WTO rules. It recommended that the WTO Secretariat enhance its monitoring of unilateral measures and related agreements, and promptly inform members about their impacts and potential spillover effects on third-party economies.
Speakers from Brazil, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Venezuela, and others echoed the urgency, cautioning that unilateral tariffs undermine multilateral rules, drive up costs for businesses and consumers, and especially harm vulnerable developing economies.
As trade tensions rise, defending a transparent, rule-based system remains more critical than ever, the delegates agreed—setting the agenda for ongoing WTO reform and cooperation.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
