RESTRICTED  
  
WT/BFA/W/ 446/Rev. 2 
18 July 2018 
(18-4510) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration   
 
  
AGREEMENT ON ECONOMI C AND TECHNICAL COOP ERATION  
BETWEEN THE GOVERNME NT OF THE PEOPLE'S R EPUBLIC OF CHINA  
 AND THE WORLD  TRADE ORGANIZATION   
Revision  
1.  This revised document has been prepared o n the basis of the procedures  laid out in the 
document bearing the reference WT/BFA/W/456 . 
2.  The People's Republic of China has pledged USD 8 million in extra-budgetary  contribution  
(hereafter: the contribution ) with a view to further strengthening WTO related international 
development cooperation with developing countries, particularly the Least Develop ed Countries, 
in areas of shared int erest for research and research  related technical assistance, capacity 
building a nd expert missions.  The purpose of this contribution  is to help developing countries, 
particu larly LDCs, better integrate in to the multilateral trading system and enhance their 
capability to benefit from the development of global value chains, and promote the achievement 
of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  
3.  The contribution  consists of funds from China's USD 500 million South -South Cooperation 
Assistan ce Fund (SSCAF)  and is made available to the WTO , by the Government of China,  to 
support the research and research  related projects , based on the priorities described  in the 
bilateral Agreement with the Donor  and in consultations with individual or group s of Members as 
appropriate.  
4.  China has, in recent years, become a consistent contributor to the extra -budgetary funded 
activities of the WTO and this commitment is a continuation of that trend. This contribution  will 
be an extension of the existing  "China  Programme1" with a focus on r esearch and research 
related activities .  It shall be managed independently by the Secretariat. Similar terms to those 
used for existing China contributions  shall apply to the projects supported by this contribution .  
5.  The pledge is a multi -year commitment with an initial end date of 31st December 2026.   
6.  The WTO Secretariat  shall implement specific projects  consistent with the process described in 
paragraph 3 above . All projects will allow the WTO to advance res earch on the topics  covered,   
and to draw on ex ternal resources it otherwise could not , to amplify any WTO resource 
commitments2. To give an idea , the kinds of projects the Secretariat  is currently considering 
include "Improving Access to Trade and Market Access Statistics and Developing Trade in Value  
Added Databases" in African Countries, "Databases of Serv ices Trade Regulation in Least 
Developed C ountries", "Building up the Capacity of LDCs on Rules of Origin for a Better and Fuller 
Utilization of Preferential Market Access Opportunities",  and "Impro ving Transparency of Import 
Licensing Procedures and Compliance: Capacity Bui lding for Developing and Least Developed 
Countries ." Currently, a project related to investment facilitation in least developed and 
developing countries is being implemented.  
                                                
1 China's LDCs and Accessions Programme  includes activities like the WTO Accessions Internships, the 
Annual WTO Accessions Round Table Meeting, South -South Dialogue on LDCs and Development, LDC Trade 
Policy Review Follow -ups and LDCs participation in WTO and WTO related meetings.  
2 All direct c osts will be borne by the Fund. WTO s taff members  will be engaged in the oversight and 
management of the projects and as such imply an indirect cost. However, it is expected that this will leverage 
the WTO resources in that most of the projects will be con sistent with the work  WTO staff members might 
otherwise do. Typically, a single WTO staff member  would be assigned to oversee and coordinate a given 
project on a part time basis.  WT/BFA/W/446/Rev.2   
 
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  7. The SSCAF , following its standard internal procedures, will conduct reviews of proposed 
projects to ensure technical feasibility and conformity with the procedural requirements of the 
SSCAF. Information on the scope, mission and objectives of the SSCAF can  be obtained at: 
http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/newsrelease/policyreleasing/201709/20170902639808.sht
ml   
 
8. Once review s are concluded , separate agreements addressing financial and technical 
implementation arrangements will be established for each project . These  will conform to relevant 
procedures  followed by the Secretariat in administrating similar projects . The Secretariat will be  
solely responsible for the implementation of individual project s in accordance with  the terms 
stipulated  in the separate agreements  and consistent with WTO Financial Regulations and rules 
and other relevant policies .   
9. The Secretariat will, like it does for projects funded from other extra -budgetary resources, 
provide regular summaries of projects undertaken with th ese resources  as part of its annual 
reporting . This reporting includes both financial and descriptive eleme nts. All reports and 
analys es generated from the projects will be publicly available.  
10. This Trust Fund and the projects funded under it will be part of financial and performance 
audits periodically conducted by the WTO's External Auditors , in accordanc e with  the WTO 
Financial Regulations.  
 
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