WT/MIN(22)/ST/ 35 
12 June 2022 
(22-4471) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR WANG WENTAO  
MINISTER  OF COMMERCE  
CHINA 
On behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to begin by expressing heartfelt thanks to the 
hosts for the thoughtful preparations and arrangements they have made for this conference.  
 
The Chinese government is committed to the work of the WTO. In his keynote speech at the fourth 
China International Import Expo in November 2021, President Xi Jinping highlighted China 's support 
for the WTO reform in the right direction, for t he inclusive development of the multilateral trading 
system, and for the legitimate rights and interests of the developing Members. Recently on a number 
of international occasions, he called for all parties to jointly support and safeguard the multilateral  
trading system centered on the WTO.  
 
The MC12 comes at a time when the world faces major changes and the Covid -19 pandemic, both 
unseen in a century, economic globalization runs into headwinds, and the WTO itself stands at a 
critical juncture of reform. The greater difficulties we face, the more we, WTO Members, should work 
to build consensus, jointly safeguard the WTO 's authority and efficacy, bring the global economy out 
of the shadows and push for its recovery.  
 
First, the WTO needs to promote steady r ecovery of the world economy.  
 
Due to the pandemic and other factors, the global industrial and supply chains are experiencing 
disruptions, commodity prices remain high, and food supply is tightened, adding uncertainties to 
economic recovery. The WTO -cente red multilateral trading system is the cornerstone of international 
trade. The WTO should and can take its responsibility in economic recovery. China stands ready to 
work with all the other sides in a constructive and cooperative spirit to make progress at  the MC12 
on WTO response to the pandemic, food security and other issues, so that the WTO will play a bigger 
role in world economic recovery.  
 
Second, the WTO reform needs to move in the right direction.  
 
The WTO reform should both accommodate the changing times and meet the needs of development. 
China believes in the following:  
 
The WTO reform needs to advance globalization, not reverse it. The WTO needs to respond 
to the general trend of globalization, make the "pie" bigger, and make economic glob alization more 
open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all through updating rules and strengthening mechanism 
safeguard.  
 
The WTO reform needs to reinforce its functions, not diminish them.  It should aim at 
restoring the functions of the Appellate Body  as soon as possible to prevent international trade from 
backsliding to the law of the jungle. New rules in non -agricultural trade, services and investment 
should be made to keep the WTO up to date and maintain the multilateral trading system as the 
main c hannel of international rules -making.  
 
The WTO reform needs to benefit all Members, not just a few of them.  President Xi Jinping 
has put forward the Global Development Initiative, with the aim of steering global development 
toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth while leaving no country behind. WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 35 
 
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  The WTO reform should protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing Members. China 
supports the accession of more developing economies to the WTO and their integration into the 
multilateral trading system.  
 
Third, China will continue to safeguard the multilateral trading system with concrete 
actions.  
 
Since its accession to the WTO, China has fully fulfilled its  commitments, widely opened its market, 
and faithfully complied with WTO rules, demonstrating its sense of responsibility as a major trading 
nation. While learning to swim in the sea of the global economy, China has achieved development 
at home and delivered benefits to the rest of the world. With China 's inclusion, this sea has in turn 
become broader and more vibrant.  
 
China has always actively fulfilled due international responsibilities. As an important contributor to 
international pandemic response, it has provided over 2.2 billion doses of Covid -19 vaccine s to more 
than 120 countries and international organizations; moreover, it has announced that it will forego 
the flexibility of the TRIPS waiver on Covid -19 vaccines as long as its reasonable concerns are 
addressed. China attaches high attention to food se curity and supports the WTO 's role in 
safeguarding global food security on trade. China has taken a constructive part in fisheries subsidies 
negotiations and supports an early agreement so as to implement the United Nations ' 2030 Agenda 
for Sustainable Dev elopment. China also supports efforts to continue negotiations on new issues 
such as investment facilitation and e -commerce.  
 
China 's status as the world 's largest developing country remains unchanged. As we uphold China 's 
position as a developing country,  we will approach special and differential treatment voluntarily and 
practically, in keeping with the principle of balanced rights and obligations and in line with the level 
and capacity of China 's economic development.  
 
This year, we will hold the 20th Na tional Congress of the Communist Party of China. The Chinese 
economy is still characterized by strong resilience, huge potentials and bright prospects. China is 
taking expeditious moves to build a new development paradigm and unswerving steps to advance 
high-standard opening -up, which will surely bring more opportunities for market access, growth and 
cooperation to the whole world. No matter how the world will change, China 's faith in and its 
commitment to reform and opening -up will not waver. China stands ready to work with all the other 
sides to practice true multilateralism, firmly uphold the multilateral trading system, promote 
common openness of the world, foster an open world economy, and build a community with a shared 
future for mankind.  
 
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