Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced that China will no longer seek new special and differential treatment in current or future World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations. Speaking at a high-level Global Development Initiative meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Li emphasised China’s responsibility as a major developing country and its commitment to strengthening the multilateral trading system.
The WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed the move, calling it the result of “many years of hard work” and praising China’s leadership.
China’s international trade representative, Li Chenggang, described the announcement as a significant policy declaration reflecting both domestic and international priorities. He said the decision will boost trade liberalisation, investment facilitation, and inject momentum into global economic governance reforms.
While reaffirming that China remains the world’s largest developing country and part of the Global South, Li stressed that Beijing is voluntarily stepping back from additional preferential treatment to leave more policy space for countries in greater need.
Officials underscored that China will continue to safeguard the rights of developing nations within the WTO, actively support trade capacity-building, and stand against unilateralism and protectionism. The Ministry of Commerce reaffirmed three constants in Beijing’s approach: its developing member status, its defence of developing countries’ rights, and its promotion of open and fair trade.
Experts noted that China’s stance highlights its role as a responsible global power, determined to uphold multilateralism and promote equitable growth worldwide despite rising trade tensions and protectionist policies.
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