WT/TPR/M/300  
26 August 2014  
(14-4900)  Page: 1/68  
Trade Policy Review Body 
1 and 3 July 2014   
 
  TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
CHINA 
MINUTES OF THE MEETING 
Chairperson: H.E. Mrs Mariam MD Salleh 
CONTENTS 
 
1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAI RPERSON ....................................................... 2  
2  OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF CHINA ......................................... 3  
3  STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT ................................................................................ 8  
4  STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS ........................................................................................ 12  
5  REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF  CHINA AND ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ............ 56  
6  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAI RPERSON ......................................................... 67  
 
 
Note: Advance written questions and additional questions by WTO Members, and the replies 
provided by China are reproduced in document WT/TPR/M/300/Add.1 and will be available online 
at http://www.wto.org/english/ tratop_e/tpr_e/tp_rep_e.htm. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 
1.1.  The fifth Trade Policy Review of China was held on 1 and 3 July 2014. The Chairperson 
H.E. Mrs Mariam MD Salleh (Malaysia) welcomed the delegation of China headed by Mr. WANG 
Shouwen, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Co mmerce; the rest of the delegation from Beijing; 
H.E. Mr YU Jianhua, Permanent Representative of  China to the World Trade Organization; other 
colleagues from the mission in Geneva; and the discussant, H.E. Mr Joakim Reiter (Sweden). 
1.2.  The Chairperson recalled the purpose of the Tr ade Policy Reviews and the main elements of 
the procedures for the meeting. The report by China was contained in document WT/TPR/G/300 
and that of the WTO Secretariat in WT/TPR/S/300. 
1.3.  Questions by the following delegations had been  submitted in writing at least two weeks in 
advance and had been transmitted to the delegation of China: Pakistan; Argentina; Hong Kong, 
China; New Zealand; Iceland; Switzerland; Guatemala; the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, 
Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu; Chile; Japan; Singapore; Mexico; the European Union; the United States; Turkey; Republic of Korea; Norway and Colombia. The following delegations submitted 
written questions after the two-week deadline: Costa Rica; Canada; Peru; India; Brunei on behalf 
of ASEAN; Australia; Brazil; Malaysia; Thailand; Indonesia; Trinidad and Tobago; and Ecuador. 
1.4.  During the review period, GDP growth in China had slowed down somewhat compared to the 
period covered in the previous review and China's economic policy focus was placed on getting on 
a path to attain sustainable growth. In this respect, the Chairperson was sure that Members would be interested in learning more about the measures that China intended to implement to attain sustainable development, as well as its views on its future economic prospects. 
1.5.  In the past, growth in China had been mainly export driven; however, in the last few years 
GDP expansion had also been triggered by strong domestic demand as China had maintained a pro-active fiscal policy to boost income and increase consumption. Also, the authorities had made 
available large amounts of credit which had financed mainly investment, but had also trickled 
down to the consumer. . 
1.6.  The reports noted that China believed that the mu ltilateral trading system (MTS) should play 
the leading role in the process of liberalization, and RTAs should be a complement to the MTS. This 
view was of utmost importance for the MTS and for the world economy as China had become the largest trader during the period under review and was one of the primary drivers of economic 
growth around the world. 
1.7.  The reports indicated that the new Government was set to continue deepening its trade and 
investment liberalization process. China's policy of "opening up" would continue and the development of the services sector had become a priority. To this end, a pilot project to test 
reforms, most notable in the services sector, the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone (SPPFTZ) had 
been launched on September 2013. 
1.8.  The reports noted that despite China's progressive liberalization and the promotion of private 
participation in the economy, the role of the State remained important. China's economic, trade, 
investment and development policies continued to be outlined in Five-Year Plans.  
1.9.  At the time of the previous TPR, Members had raised questions on: the extent to which China 
supported the different sectors of the economy as well as exports; the use of export restraints as a 
trade policy tool; transparency regarding the development and application of technical regulations 
and SPS measures; and the protection of IPRs. Thes e concerns were also included in the questions 
posed by Members in the ongoing Review. Members also noted that China had some difficulties to 
comply with WTO notification requirements, especially in the area of subsidies. 
1.10.  The Chairperson was sure that these and many other themes would be touched upon in 
greater detail at the deliberations on the first and second day of the meeting and Members looked 
forward to hearing China's responses to these and other queries.  
1.11.  The Chairperson noted that a podcast would be made of this TPRB meeting. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  2  OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF CHINA (MR WANG SHOUWEN) 
2.1.  It gives me great pleasure to attend the fifth WTO Trade Policy Review of China. First of all, I 
would like to thank you, Madam Chair, for your warm remarks. I would also like to thank His 
Excellency Discussant Ambassador Joakim Reiter. 
2.2.  My thanks also go to the colleagues in the TPR Division of the WTO Secretariat for their 
tremendous efforts in preparing this meeting an d the Secretariat Report. We wish to thank the 
Secretariat for the great effort it put in the review, although we hold different views on some of 
the issues in the Report.  
2.3.  The Government of China attaches great importan ce to this review. Over the past weeks, my 
colleagues in dozens of ministries have been working around the clock. We received the last three lists of questions just yesterday. Altogether , 30 Members have submitted to China around 
1,600 written questions. By far, we have provid ed answers to more than 1,400 of them from 
26 Members, including quite a lot of them coming in after the submission deadline of 17 June. For 
the rest of less than 200 questions, we will continue  to work very hard to provide replies as quickly 
as possible after the review.  
2.4.  Reform and opening-up has been a basic national policy of China. Since its accession to the 
WTO, China has expedited its reform and opening-up process. China has integrated deeply into the 
global value chain, resulting in fairly fast economic and social development. After taking office, the 
new Chinese leadership has made major decisions to comprehensively deepen the reform at the third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The core of 
the reform is to strike a balance between the role of the Government and the role of the market, 
allowing the market to play a decisive role in resources allocation, and bringing the Government's 
role into better play. At present, reform measures are being unfolded across the board, as elaborated in the Government Report submitted by China. I would like to highlight some of them 
as follows: 
2.5.  With regard to the reform of the administra tive examination and approval system, in 2013, 
the Government of China abolished or delegate d 416 items which were previously subject to 
administrative examination and approval, and re vised the Catalogue of Investment Projects 
Subject to Government Verification. Those investment  projects not listed in the Catalogue are only 
subject to filing procedures instead of verification . As a result, the number of projects subject to 
examination and approval by competent authorities of the State Council has been reduced by 
60%. 
2.6.  As regards the reform of the industrial and co mmercial registration system, the requirement 
for minimum registered capital has been removed.  The paid-in capital system has been replaced 
by one of a subscribed capital system. In 2013, 2.33 million private enterprises were established, 
up by 30% year on year.  
2.7.  Concerning the reform of the fiscal and taxation system, the pilot program of levying value 
added tax (VAT) in lieu of business tax in certain service sectors has gained momentum and has 
expanded to more provinces and sectors. In August 2013, the pilot program was rolled out 
nationwide. Railway transport and postal services have also been incorporated into this program since 1 January 2014. 
2.8.  In relation to the reform of the financial system, new steps have been taken to harmonize 
interest rates and the RMB exchange rate. The Government of China has further lifted the control on loan interests of financial institutions, adopted the centralized quotation and release mechanism 
for loan prime rate, and widened the fluctuation band range of the RMB exchange rate to 2%.  
2.9.  Efforts have also been made to support the growth of medium, small- and micro-enterprises. 
Some small- and micro-enterprises are allowed a 50% reduction in corporate income tax, and 
temporary exemption from VAT and business tax. Private capital is encouraged to enter sectors 
including finance, petroleum, power generation, railway, telecommunications, resources exploitation, public utilities and services. In 2013, private investment climbed by 23%, representing 63% of the total investment in the country. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  2.10.  Law enforcement in IPR protection has been strengthened. A series of laws and regulations 
concerning IPR have been promulgated. The amo unt of compensation for IPR infringements has 
been raised, so have the penalties for infringements, both administrative and criminal. 
2.11.  The measures adopted by the Government of Ch ina to comprehensively deepen reform have 
unleashed domestic market vitality and the spendi ng power of the residents. In 2013, the total 
retail sales reached RMB 24 trillion yuan, and 50% of GDP growth was accounted for by consumption. In the meantime, the efforts have been made to create a level playing field for 
businesses based on the principles of openne ss, transparency, fairness and predictability 
advocated by the WTO. 
2.12.  China's new leadership is also committed to pressing ahead proactively with the opening-up 
drive and accelerating the improvement of a new op en economic system. In this context, a series 
of measures have been adopted for the trade an d investment liberalization and facilitation.  
2.13.  Import administration procedures have been streamlined. Automatic import license 
administration for over 150 tariff lines at the HS10-digit level has been removed and the online 
application for license is proceeding smoothly. 
2.14.  New progress has been achieved with customs clearance facilitation. Paperless customs 
clearance has been promoted. Pilot projects for cross-region customs clearance and "single 
window" services have been launched.  
2.15.  The facilitation of border procedures including quality inspection has improved. From 
15 August 2013 onward, a total of 1,507 tariff lines at the HS 10-digit level from the list of general manufactured products were no longer required for compulsory export commodity inspection. 
2.16.  The RMB settlement business for cross-border trade has also been advanced. Import and 
export enterprises may choose RMB for quotation, settlement and payment. RMB cross-border trade settlement in 2013 increased by 57% over th e year before. By October 2013, the People's 
Bank of China had signed currency swap agreements valued at over RMB 2.5 trillion yuan with the 
central banks or monetary authorities of 23 countries and regions. 
2.17.  Efforts have been made to continue to encour age inward foreign direct investment (FDI). 
The Catalogue of Priority Industries for Foreign Investment in Central and Western China was 
updated for the third time, adding 173 new items. It encourages FDI in labour-intensive industries that meet the environmental requirements in central and western China. Foreign investment projects listed in the Catalogue can be deemed as encouraged by the Government.  
2.18.  Openness in the services industry has been expanded. Efforts have been made to promote 
the orderly opening-up of the financial, educatio n, cultural and medical services sectors. For 
example, foreign investors are allowed to set up commercial factoring companies in pilot areas, 
and the foreign equity cap in joint-venture securities firms has been raised to 49%.  
2.19.  The reform of foreign exchange administration for capital account has been carried out. 
Foreign exchange administration of direct investment has been considerably streamlined, with 
elimination of requirements for verification conc erning the opening of foreign exchange accounts. 
Approval for QFII quotas has been expedited. The investment quotas for QFII institutions under special categories have been increased. The scope of RQFII institutions and their investment has been expanded too.  
2.20.  Thanks to the above-mentioned measures, China has maintained sustained and robust 
growth in her two-way investment and external trad e. China today is the largest trading partner of 
over 120 countries and regions. With a total import  and export value of close to US$4.2 trillion in 
2013, China became the world's largest merchandise trader. In breakdown, China's import grew 
by 7.3% year-on-year to US$1.9 trillion, with its share in the world rising to 10.3%. China is now a net importer of agricultural products. Its grain imports exceeded 11 million tonnes in 2013. 
2.21.  China's services imports and exports reached US$539.6 billion in 2013. Its trade deficit in 
services rose from US$89.7 billion in 2012 to US$118.5 billion in 2013. Today, China has the biggest trade deficit in services globally. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  2.22.  China is one of the most attractive FDI destinations in the world. Last year, China received 
more than US$110 billion of actualized foreign direct investment, and ranked top among developing countries for 21 years in a row. In breakdown, the services industry utilized over US$61 billion, up 14% year on year. This was the first time when the services industry utilized 
more than half of the FDI inflows into China. In the meantime, China's outbound FDI has been 
growing steadily and expanding into an increasing  number of areas. Last year, China's outbound 
non-financial direct investment reached US$90 billion. This makes China a major source of 
outbound FDI, and has contributed significantly to the south-south cooperation. 
2.23.  Since the last review, the Government of China has adopted other key measures in pursuing 
its opening-up strategy. For example, in September 2013, as you mentioned earlier, China announced to establish the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone. The pilot includes key 
elements such as accelerating the transformati on of government functions, expanding sectors 
open to foreign investment, advancing trade facilitation, deepening liberalization and innovation in the financial sector, and promoting the shift of go vernment administration from pre-establishment 
approval to post-establishment supervision. With respect to promoting the reform of the foreign 
investment regime, efforts have been made to explore a model based on the pre-establishment national treatment and negative list approach. The purpose is to blaze a new trail and accumulate 
experience for a future rollout across the country. 
2.24.  Furthermore, the Government of China has also  put forward the important initiatives of the 
"Silk Road Economic Belt" and the " 21st Century Maritime Silk Road". 
2.25.  China is an active participant, staunch supporter and important contributor of the 
multilateral trading system. Through concrete ac tions, China has unswervingly supported the WTO, 
and has assumed the due responsibilities of a major developing trading nation.  
2.26.  As an APEC member economy, China strongly supports the multilateral trading system. As 
the host to this year's APEC meetings, China already hosted the Minister Responsible for Trade 
(MRT) Meeting in Qingdao this May. As we all know, a standalone Statement on Supporting the Multilateral Trading System was adopted at the MRT. The statement reaffirmed the value of the 
multilateral trading system and its central and primary status. The statement also called for 
faithful implementation of the Bali Package, pled ged to fulfil the objectives and timetable of the 
Trade Facilitation Agreement. The statement also urged WTO Members to jointly come up with a clear-cut work plan for the remaining issues of the Doha Development Agenda. 
2.27.  China has been refraining from taking trade protectionist measures, and sticking firmly to 
opening up its market. China remains vigilant over all forms of trade protectionism that undermines trade and slows down economic recovery. China firmly opposes trade protectionism, 
and will remain committed to exercising maximu m restraint in applying measures that may be 
considered WTO compatible but still have a significant protectionist effect. China fulfils in a timely manner its notification obligations under the WTO's financial crisis monitoring mechanism, for the 
purpose of supporting the work of the WTO in monitoring trade and investment measures. 
2.28.  China participates in the WTO Trade Policy Re view in an earnest manner. The Government 
of China takes very seriously the constructive feedbacks from other WTO Members in the course of the review. In 2014, the General Office of the State Council of China issued the Circular on Further 
Enhancing Trade Policy Compliance. The Circular requires the State Council departments, and 
Governments at provincial level to ensure that when the regulations, regulatory documents and other policy measures relative to or with an influence on trade in goods, trade in services, and 
trade-related intellectual property rights are formulated, they should be consistent with the WTO 
rules and China's accession commitments. 
2.29.  China strictly implements WTO rulings. China has one of the best track records of 
implementing WTO rulings. China respects the verdicts made by the Panel and the Appellate Body. 
Up until now, 19 complaints have been lodged against China under the WTO, and 14 of them have arrived at a final ruling. China cancelled or revi sed all the measures that had been determined 
inconsistent with WTO rules within the period of implementation. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  2.30.  China further advances the implementation of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation according 
to the timetable set up by the Bali Ministerial. China notified Category A commitments under the Agreement to the WTO yesterday. 
2.31.  While remaining committed to giving full play to the fundamental role of the multilateral 
trading system and rules, China also continues to press ahead with bilateral and regional trade and 
economic cooperation. Just today, China's free trade agreements with Iceland and Switzerland are entering into force respectively.  
2.32.  Although China has participated in some bilateral and regional agreements, the Government 
of China always believes that the multilateral trading system with the WTO as its core is the main channel for promoting global trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. Bilateral and regional agreements are useful supplement to th e multilateral trading system, rather than its 
replacement. 
2.33.  Since its accession to the WTO, China has actively assumed its due responsibilities as a 
major developing trading nation. 
2.34.  China has cut its overall tariff level from 15.3% to 9.8%, and pledged not to use agricultural 
export subsidies. China has also eliminated all import quotas and specific import tendering requirements, and opened up over one hundred serv ices sectors and sub-sectors. China has been 
the largest export market for the LDCs for five consecutive years. On 1 July 2010, China began to 
provide duty-free treatment to ex ports from the LDCs. From then on to April 2013, China imported 
over US$2.2 billion of goods from 26 benefici ary countries, and offered a tariff exemption of 
RMB1.34 billion yuan. 
2.35.  China actively supports the Aid for Trade Initiative of the WTO. Since 2008, it has been 
contributing to the Aid for Trade Fund under th e multilateral framework of the WTO. In 2011, 
China established "China's LDCs and Accessions Program" (the China Program). In 2012 and 2013, 
China donated US$800,000 in total to the China Program and hosted the Roundtable for the LDCs' 
WTO Accession in Beijing, China and Luang Prabang of Laos. During the MC9 in 2013, China contributed another US$400,000 to the China Program. 
2.36.  At present, the overall momentum of the economy in China is good. Nevertheless, 
difficulties remain. Economic growth faces a down ward pressure, and the internal driving force for 
growth is less than sufficient. The long-standing and deep-rooted problems are still waiting to be addressed.  
2.37.  Although it is already the second largest economy in the world, China remains a developing 
economy facing daunting development tasks. At present, with per capita GDP below US$7,000, China ranks the 84th in the world. Today, some 128 million people in China still live below the 
poverty line according to UN standards. China's urbanization process still lags behind. Some 600 to 
700 million people are living in the rural area, an d 100 million people in shanty towns in cities. 
China also has a long way to go to realize industrialization. Overall, products "Made in China" 
remains at the lower end of global value chains. As it fulfils its own development tasks, China also 
stands ready to assume responsibilities in international trade and economic affairs commensurate with its own level of development. 
2.38.  Going forward, China will remain committed to comprehensively deepening reform through 
accelerating the restructure of administrative, fiscal and financial systems to boost economic 
vitality across the ownership spectrum. Next year, the Government of China will roll out the pilot program of levying VAT in lieu of business tax to more services sectors such as 
telecommunications, finance, construction and real estate. China will also gradually lift access 
restrictions on foreign investment in child and elderly care, architecture design, accounting and auditing, commerce and logistics, and e-commerce. 
2.39.  The Government of China will push forward a new round of opening-up. It will actively 
utilize foreign investment, further open up the serv ices sector, and create a level playing field for 
Chinese and foreign businesses to compete on an equal footing. China will also further open up 
inland and border areas, and promote upgrading of export mix and trade growth in a balanced 
manner. It will unify laws and regulations for domestic and foreign investors, improve the WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  investment administration regime and further step up the reform on cross-region customs 
clearance.  
2.40.  China will continue to champion and safeguard the multilateral trading system, support the 
Doha Round negotiations, and help steer the mult ilateral trading system towards greater balance, 
universal benefit and win for all. The Government of China hopes that economies at different 
development levels and phases would embrace the sp irit of solidarity in times of adversity and 
discard zero-sum practices. China is ready to work with other WTO Members to meet common 
challenges and shape a new prospect for economic globalization featuring win-win cooperation 
2.41.  Madam Chair, with that I conclude my presentation. I look forward to comments and 
questions from the discussant and other participants. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  3  STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT 
3.1.  It is a great honour for me to be the discussant at this Trade Policy Review of China.  
3.2.  I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Chinese delegation, led by His Excellency Wang 
Shouwen, Assistant Minister of Commerce. Allow me also upfront to pay tribute to our colleagues 
here in Geneva, Ambassador Yu and his team, as well as to our former colleague, Ambassador Yi, 
now DDG in this house.  
3.3.  We have, for today's deliberations, two very comprehensive reports – by the Secretariat and 
by the Chinese Government. We also have – like in the past – a very large set of detailed 
questions by Members. Taken together, these documents basically touch upon many, if not most, pertinent specificities of China's trade and trade-related policies and measures.  
3.4.  For this reason, rather than diving into specific details, I will here try to focus on the context 
in which China seems to formulate its current economic and trade policy as well as on the 
challenges (or even policy conflicts) it seems to face in doing so.  
3.5.  From this point of view, this review comes at a particularly opportune time. Under its new 
leadership, China has established an ambitious and comprehensive agenda for reforms and 
opening-up as a core priority. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC National Congress, in November 2013, led to an important "Decision on some major issues concerning comprehensively 
deepening the reform". According to the Secretariat, 330 major reform measures covering 
15 areas have been set. China also clearly realizes the importance of succeeding with this comprehensive agenda: as suggested by the Chinese Government in its report for this meeting, and I quote: "without transformation and upgradin g, we will not be able to achieve a sustained 
economic growth." This review should preferably seek to make constructive suggestions on trade 
policy steps that China may wish to consider in order to achieve its important reform priorities, for the purpose of sustained growth and prosperity.   
3.6.  First, however, allow me to highlight some basic numbers and facts, providing a perspective 
of the sheer importance of China for the global economy and world trading system:  
 China is now the second largest economy on eart h, in total GDP terms, after the U.S. When 
 using calculations that take purchasing power into account, according to some estimates, 
 China is poised to overtake the U.S. as th e world's biggest economy earlier than expected, 
 possibly as soon as this year. This impressive achievement is, of course, fundamentally a  result of the fact that China is and has b een among the fastest growing countries in the 
 world, over a sustained period of some 35 years. Since economic reforms began in 1978, 
 per capita GDP has increased from US$148 to almost US$6800 in 2013, a staggering 46-fold  jump.  
 China is also now the world's largest trader (excluding intra-EU trade). This is due 
 predominantly to its impressive development of manufacturing exports, accounting for more  than 90% of total exports. China is ranked No. 1 in Deloitte's 2013 Global Manufacturing 
 Competitiveness Index and is projected to maintain this position for at least the next five 
 years. Manufacturing exports have been a blessing for China's development and  employment. The production of Chinese goods for foreign markets employs almost one-third 
 of the total labour force in China, or around 230 million workers, far greater than other 
 major players in both nominal and relative terms. But China's exports have also promoted 
 imports from the rest of the world, for example creating large gains from trade in raw  materials as well as from trade in intermedia te goods. In fact, according to the OECD, a 
 significant one-third of Chinese exports contai ns foreign content and for electronics, one of 
 China's key  export successes, foreign content (i.e. imports) represent about 40% of the  export value.  
 China's rise as a trading nation has been mutually reinforcing with FDI-flows, not least 
 through China's integration in global production networks or GVCs. China is the second  largest country in terms of attracting FDI, ag ain after the U.S. (note: taking EU as one, 
 China is in third place). According to UNCTAD, FDI inflows to China have increased from 
 US$3.4 billion in 1990 to US$124 billion in 2013.  Its total FDI stock reached a value of WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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   almost US$1 trillion in 2013. To give a sense of magnitude, in 1990, China's investment 
 stock was a bit less than that of Mexico. Today, it almost 2.5 times larger. And, not to be  forgotten, China is now rapidly becoming an important source of FDI for other countries.  
3.7.  Undeniably, therefore, China is a major player in the world economy that has benefitted 
enormously from global trade. But as illustrated during the latest economic crisis, beyond being 
the "factory of the world", China has also become a key "engine for the world". China's growing domestic demand, including for imports for final consumption and as inputs to exports, has 
continued to contribute to worldwide economic growth, when the "old" engines have staggered. 
Like most other countries, developing or developed,  China is integrating into and benefitting from 
the global economy. But contrary to most, developing or developed, China is also shaping it.  
3.8.  With size and might follow new responsibilities. Openness by China can directly help others, 
not least the less fortunate, to attain their objectives of development and prosperity. In this 
context, I think we all welcome China's strong support for the WTO, its commitment to the DDA and its readiness to participate in various plurilateral initiatives under the WTO, not to mention the 
capacity building that it has offered. I also think that I can speak for WTO Members in 
congratulating China for having largely refrained from new protectionist measures at the onslaught of the global financial crisis. Similarly, China's decision to grant duty-free access for exports from 
LDCs on 95% of its tariff lines, and with a targ et of 97% by 2015, is commendable. I also welcome 
China's submission yesterday of its category A-commitments under the future TF Agreement.  
3.9.  Having said that, in today's world, it is not only what China does positively for others, but 
also what it does for itself that will have an impact. By its sheer size, China can beggar-thy-
neighbour. For example, when China adopts export  measures to ensure domestic supply, it will 
influence world market prices, affecting the fort unes of net-exporting and net-importing countries 
globally. Or when it takes steps to enhance agriculture production for legitimate concerns over 
food security, it raises questions on how to ensure that other developing countries' food security or 
their incomes from agricultural exports are not jeopardized. Or, for that matter, China's challenges in enforcing IPRs, given its status of "factory of the world", can have large effects on trade in 
counterfeited goods globally. The very large set of questions posed by Members to China in this 
r e v i e w  s h o u l d ,  i n  m y  v i e w ,  b e  s e e n  i n  t h e  l i g h t  o f  C h i n a ' s  n e w  r o l e  a s  " s h a p e r "  o f  t h e  w o r l d  economy. I would welcome views from the Chinese delegation on how considerations of global repercussions of its actions (or inactions) are properly factored into the formulation of reforms, 
policies and measures.  
3.10.  Notwithstanding the importance of China for WTO and global trade, it is equally worth 
recalling just how multifaceted and complex China's economy continues to be today. Size, no 
doubt, is a mixed blessing. Despite being top player in the global economy, in global trade and in 
global manufacturing, China still ranks only 101 out of 187 in UNDP's human development index. Significant inequalities exist in the distribution of income, not least between urban and rural areas. 
Almost 100 million citizens still live below the national poverty line. Rapid economic ascendance 
has also brought serious challenges to environmental sustainability and urbanization. Differences between communities, cities and pr ovinces have been augmented.  
3.11.  While not necessarily motivated by trade considerations, some of the measures imposed by 
China to address these challenges may affect tr ade and investment, be it different forms of 
support for agricultural and other rural communities, be it specific tax or other preferences for investments in deprived regions, or projects like the visions of establishing a "Silk Road Economic 
Belt" or the "Maritime Silk Road". It would be interesting to hear more about what targeted 
measures that China is envisaging for national cohesion and spreading the benefits of trade more widely.  
3.12.  Additionally, it is difficult, to say the least, to  ensure consistent implementation of laws and 
regulations in such a vast country. But inconsistencies in the implementation of laws, rules and regulations do directly affect business with and in China, compounding the often-reported 
problems of predictability and transparency. En suring better transparency, predictability and 
consistency should, it seems to me, be a priority both to improve the operating environment of 
business – domestic and foreign alike – and to limit the risk of discretionary treatment, bureaucratic inertia or even outright misconduct that otherwise can hinder economic progress and 
justice.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  3.13.  As I mentioned before, a major development since the last review and under the new 
leadership, has been the decision at the Third Plen ary Session in November last year to embark on 
comprehensively deepened reforms. The Decision cl early stipulates that the reforms should imply, 
and I quote, "greatly reducing the Government's role in the direct allocation of resources, and 
promote resources allocation according to market rules, market prices and market competition".  
3.14.  Since trade and investment measures almost per definition interfere with market decisions 
and affect the allocation of resources, this reform agenda should be directly relevant for China's 
future trade policy and its trading relations with the world.  
3.15.  In this light, allow me to make three illustrative comments in relation to the new reform 
agenda launched in China: (1) China (Shanghai) pilot free trade zone and in particular investment; (2) the aim of China to climb the value added chain as regards innovation and services; and 
(3) the role of SOEs and Government involvement in economic activities in relation to future 
market-driven allocation of resources.  
3.16.  First, the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zo ne was launched in August 2013. Let me here 
only focus on investment as one key area of reforms and opening-up of this pilot. With regard to 
investment, the major improvements are threefold: (1) to move to a negative list approach when it comes to identifying sectors that are open to foreign investors; (2) to eliminate verification of 
investment projects in sectors not included on the negative list; and (3) to establish a single 
window for filing (i.e. registering) foreign investment projects with the authorities. This is a much welcomed development. Despite sizeable FDI inflows in the past, there have been in all honesty many complaints about China's burdensome procedures of verification and approval of 
investments, its many restricted or even prohibited sectors for investors and its ample 
requirements for joint ventures. In fact, when it comes to starting a business, China only ranks at 158th place in the World Bank Report Doing Busine ss. The obvious follow-up question therefore is 
what plans China has to extend this model to the rest of the country?  
3.17.  Second is the strategy of China to better climb the value-added ladder and capture greater 
gains from GVCs. China, it seems, has identified innovation and services are core components of 
its strategy. To this end, China is seeking, among other things, to strengthen IP protection, 
promote R&D and strive for orderly opening-up of its services sector to trade and investment. This is commendable and its achievements to date should be recognized. But China is also facing major challenges in this regard. In the case of innovation, despite heavy investment in R&D and a rise in 
patent applications, China has still significant homework to do regarding IP protection. And there 
are question-marks whether innovation, more lo ng term, can be delinked from the overarching 
environment for individual entrepreneurs, going ba ck to the core issue of ensuring a permissible 
business climate. As regards services, China's services sector today accounts for less than 50% of 
GDP and less than 10% of total exports. In this sense, China is far behind its competitors in GVCs, even far behind many developing countries. An overly cautious or gradual approach to services 
trade liberalization is, therefore in my view, not very likely to do the trick. Similarly, one should 
not ignore that services trade today, just as GVCs , is heavily dependent on the free flow of data. 
China has also indicated, in its Government Report, that it promotes IT-applications and cross-border e-commerce. But this will ultimately have to put a limit on the Government's control 
over cross-border data flows. It is not clear to me at least how far the Chinese Government is 
willing to go in relinquishing control in this respec t. Therefore, it would be interesting to hear more 
about the concrete plans that China is envisaging to ensure more comprehensive reforms and 
opening-up that foster an environment conducive to innovation and services. 
3.18.  Third and finally, I would like to raise the issu e of the role of the Government, and SOEs, in 
the economy in light of the stated objective of Ch ina of letting the market play a predominant role 
in resource allocation. Linked to this, of course, are China's persistent challenges today of 
overcapacity, underperforming government-linked companies and risks related to excessive credit expansion. On the trade side, China seems to face difficulties in providing its outstanding notification on subsidies. In the Secretariat Report, it is further noted that the Chinese 
Government is providing various support programs to SOEs and so-called "emerging industries"; 
industry-specific subsidies for inputs, land and te chnology; preferential tax treatments; different 
forms of credits and credit insurances, including for exports; encouragement to state-owned banks 
and other financial institutions to provide loans or credits to favoured activities with subsidized 
interests, etc. The list goes on.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  3.19.  I am aware that China questions the accuracy of  the Secretariat's description of its various 
programs. All countries will also have to make a sovereign decision on whether there may be specific sectors that warrant more government involvement, specifically for justifiable social or national security reasons (such as education, health, etc.).  
3.20.  At the  s ame time , in the  c as e of China, ne ithe r SOEs  nor g ove rnme nt s up p ort p rog rams  
seem to be limited to a few sectors. They are pe rmeating the entire economy. And each and every 
one of these measures runs serious risks of affectin g the allocation of resources. They also affect 
competitive conditions, between foreign companies and local companies, between large companies 
and small companies as well as between state-linked and private companies (foreign or local). It is equally striking that the Chinese competition law explicitly provides immunity for SOEs that are breaking the competition law if those SOEs are considered vital to the Chinese economy. To my 
mind, this is not only a matter for the functioning of the Chinese economy and market-place. 
Given China's size and importance, the interferen ce of the Government in the economy may very 
well also affect the allocation of resources and competitive conditions of companies in markets 
outside China – thereby, casting a shadow over China's quest for open and fair trade. As such, I 
encourage China to make use of this review, and o t h e r  r e l e v a n t  b o d i e s  o f  t h i s  W T O ,  t o  b r i n g  
complete clarity on the existence, functioning and effects of these measures.  
3.21.  In conclusion, China has come a long way in its 35 years of comprehensive reforms and 
opening-up, including during the period under review. But it still seems to have a long way to go if it to fulfil the objective of the ambitious reform plans set out at the Third Plenary Session. This being said, the objectives – as well as the measures of reforms and opening-up identified to 
achieve them – are commendable. To my own mind , the advertised reforms and opening-up of 
China's economic system will be necessary to avoid getting stuck in the infamous middle-income trap. This is in everyone's interest. I hope ther efore that China will welcome support from this 
institution and its Members to stay on the course it has chartered for itself.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4  STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 
PAKISTAN 4.1.  During the review period, China's trajectory of  high growth experienced a downward trend at 
7.7% annually. This has happened amidst a post-GFC adjustment and a structural shift to enhance 
domestic consumption that is predicated on rising incomes, fiscal expansion, and expanding credit 
availability. 
4.2.  China is the world's largest trader. It has undertaken reforms in the area of trade in goods, 
including the introduction of paperless customs clearance procedures, reform of the investment 
regime, faster implementation of FTAs, opening-up  of border areas, and the development of the 
Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone. 
4.3.  It is also a large recipient of FDI. It has taken measures to simplify rules and easing 
restrictions on the use of capital to attract FDI. China has concluded 12 FTAs with over 20 States 
and regions, including Pakistan, and is currently negotiating several more FTAs. 
4.4.  China is an important player in the WTO. It engages constructively in multilateral 
negotiations, and is making sustained efforts for fostering development objectives through the 
DDA. It is also contributing actively in developing a balanced post-Bali work programme. Pakistan highly appreciates China for sustained development of its economy and people, continuing the 
process of opening up the economy and its efforts to facilitate trade and investment, enhance 
competition and further decreasing State involvement in the economy, and measures to accelerate development of its services sector. 
4.5.  Economic restructuring is the key feature of the overall reform effort. The Third Plenum of the 
18
th CPC National Congress worked out a detailed roadmap and a time-frame for the 
implementation of the reforms, under which 330 major reform measures covering 15 areas have been set. To narrow the investment-consumpti on imbalance, the Chinese Government has 
continued to promote consumption expansion through specific programmes, including direct 
consumption stimulus programmes nationwide. The policy of accelerating consumption has seen expenditure outpacing revenue. 
4.6.  During the review period, the levels of both savings and investment remained high at 50% 
and 47% of GDP, respectively. Consumer prices remained stable, alongside an increase in incomes and employment generation. 
4.7.  The National Leading Group for Comprehensive Deepening Reform has been tasked with 
charting a roadmap for allowing the market to play a greater role in allocating resources, 
reforming SOEs and encouraging private ownership. Private enterprises are now emerging as the main source of employment and have contribute d to rising salaries and income, and improved 
living standards. 
4.8.  China's net trade surplus declined from 3.1% in 2010 to 2.8% of GDP in 2013. In 2013, 
manufactured products continue to dominate China's exports, accounting for 94% of the total. 
China's trade in services has grown since the Twelfth Five Year Plan. However, compared with 
goods, services trade is growing slower, postin g services trade deficits at US$89.7 billion and 
US$118.46 billion, respectively, during the period. 
4.9.  China's industry is experiencing problems like considerable excess capacity in some 
industries, wage rises and difficulties faced by SMEs in business operations. However, its 
fast-speed infrastructure, further productivity gr owth, allied to a continued supply of new urban 
workers and the depth of its industrial capacity, all point at keeping China competitive. China could 
benefit from further reducing the investment-consumption imbalance as well as State involvement 
in the economy as the public sector accounts for some two-thirds of total exports and controls some 40% of fixed-asset investment. 
4.10.  Pakistan-China trade and economic relations ha ve been significantly bolstered by our FTA, 
and mutual trade is increasing at a steady pace. We see considerable potential in closer bilateral WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  cooperation, to further cement trade and in vestment linkages between our two business 
communities. 
ARGENTINA 4.11.  China has become, as I believe has occurred or is occurring with most Members of this 
Organization, one of Argentina's main trading partners. Its share in our global trade went from 
4.7% in 2001, the year of its accession to the WTO, to 11.4% in 2013. According to our statistics from 2013, this bilateral trade continues to rise steadily, having increased by almost 13% between 
2012 and 2013. This, along with the growing cooper ation between our countries in various areas 
and sectors, is testament to the obvious importance that our relationship with China has been acquiring this century. This is due in no small part to China's greater integration in the multilateral trading system since it joined the WTO. 
4.12.  China's accession to the WTO in 2001 has been a major contribution from a developing 
country to trade multilateralism. The growing significance of China's trade with the world, the prospects for its future development, and the terms of its accession to the WTO are 
noteworthy: 
 China agreed not to provide amber box agricultural subsidies; 
 its level of de minimis subsidies is lower than that of the other developing countries, 
at 8.5% instead of 10%; and 
 with respect to market access, the maximum tariff in its schedule of concessions is lower 
than that of other countries, and China does not use highly distorting instruments such as the special safeguard under Article 5 of the Agreement on Agriculture. 
4.13.  Not all WTO Members can contribute to trade multilateralism to the extent that China does. 
Other Members still keep policy space in their schedules to introduce greater distortions in agricultural trade, which we hope to reduce and eliminate in the Doha Round. 
4.14.  China has been a major player in the multilater al trade negotiations since joining the WTO, 
showing a spirit of cooperation with respect to the G-20 negotiating proposals in Geneva. 
4.15.  Both China and Argentina have been actively involved in all stages of the Doha Round 
negotiations, prompted by the shared aim of strengthening the multilateral trading system, 
deepening the process of agricultural reform started under the Uruguay Round and striving for an outcome that will benefit developing countries. 
4.16.  I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank China for its contributions, ongoing 
support and commitment to a swift conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda. 
4.17.  To conclude, we would like to reiterate our appreciation of this new opportunity to exchange 
information and ideas concerning China's trade policies, to stress once more the importance of this 
exercise in transparency from every point of vi ew, and to wish the Chinese authorities success in 
this fifth review of their trade policy. 
HONG
 KONG,  CHINA 
4.18.  First of all, a couple of general comments. We are pleased to see that China continues to 
deepen its market-oriented reforms, which include opening up the services sector and creating a fair and competitive business environment. The establishment of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (CSPFTZ), in particular, is a significant step for China to further open her economy and 
liberalize trade in services. 
4.19.  We are also encouraged by China's policy of  expanding domestic demand which serves as 
the major driving force for China's economic growth and creates a huge market for her trading 
partners. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.20.  Hong Kong, China has been maintaining a close economic and trade relationship with China. 
China has been our largest trading partner for de cades, while we were China's second largest 
trading partner in 2013. We are also each other's largest source of external direct investment. The signing of "The Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)" and 
its various supplements since 2003 has further enhanced our trade relations. 
4.21.  Let me now go to specific areas of trade. 
4.22.  On investment, we are pleased to see China moving in the direction of liberalization and 
simplification of procedures. It seeks to attract further foreign direct investment (FDI) through a 
number of incentive schemes and more liberal rules applied to the CSPFTZ. The increasing openness will enable China to maintain its status as one of the largest recipients of FDI. 
4.23.  We commend China's effort in enhancing trade facilitation measures during the review 
period. For instance, China started implementing the "Reform of Paperless Customs Clearance" in 
2012 which helped enhance efficiency and reduce transaction cost. China has also undertaken to implement the Agreement on Trade Facilitation in accordance with the timetable set out in the Bali 
Declaration. We see this as a very positive signal for other emerging or developing countries. 
4.24.  On tariff, we appreciate that China has alread y bound all its tariff lines, of which 99.5% are 
ad valorem . This provides a high degree of certainty to businesses. We note a slight decline in the 
average applied rate of agricultural products  from 15.1% in 2011 to 14.8% in 2013; and a 
decrease in the percentage of tariff lines that exceeded international tariff peaks from 14.8% in 2011 to 14.4% in 2013. We encourage China to continue its efforts in bringing down its tariffs. 
4.25.  China has maintained a number of incentive programmes for various reasons, such as to 
promote development in remote areas. We note that some additional incentives seem to be 
granted at the provincial level, but the central government authorities are not in a position to confirm the existence of these programmes. Besides, there seems to be other programmes or 
measures to support different industries, but the relevant information may not always be available 
to the WTO Secretariat. As a result, WTO Members have difficulty identifying the specific measures and ascertaining the extent of support. We would encourage China to take extra steps to ensure 
that the central government is kept informed of the latest position of all the incentive and support 
programmes, and to provide timely notifications to the WTO. 
4.26.  Regarding state-trading enterprises, we welcome China's trade policy objective set out in 
the "Decision on Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reforms", which, among 
other things, calls for the reform of state-owned enterprises and sets new rules and targets to 
encourage private ownership. As state participation in China remains relatively high, we encourage China to take further steps to ensure a level-playing field for all enterprises. 
4.27.  For its accession to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), China has made 
considerable efforts to address GPA Parties' requests and concerns, and has improved its offer progressively. Notably, China has added more sub-central government entities to its latest offer. 
We look forward to receiving China's further revise d offer later this year and hope China can join 
the GPA soon. 
4.28.  Despite China's development into an industrialized country, agriculture continues to play a 
key role in the economy and employment. We note that there have been no major changes to 
China's agricultural policies. While we understand the sensitivities of the agricultural sector in 
relation to food security in China, we believe that a more liberal and simplified trading regime would be beneficial to consumers and traders alike. We encourage China to consider the need for 
further reforms. 
4.29.  On intellectual property rights, we are happy to see improvements to the protection and 
regulatory regimes for patent and trademark. We note in particular that application procedures 
have been streamlined; penalties for infringements increased; and examinations will be 
fast-tracked. We hope China will continue to impr ove its laws and step up enforcement to keep up 
with the developments in innovation and technology. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.30.  As regards services, we appreciate China's effo rts in taking forward a number of regulatory 
reforms in sectors such as telecommunication services, financial services, education services, maritime transport, air transport and rail transport, as well as movements of natural persons. As mentioned earlier, we welcome the establishment of CSPFTZ which further liberalizes trade in 
services. We encourage China to conti nue its good effort s in this regard. 
4.31.  In January 2014, 14 WTO Members, including China and Hong Kong, China, announced an 
initiative to negotiate a plurilateral agreement for the liberalization of trade in environmental 
goods. We look forward to working closely with China and other Members to advance this 
initiative, with the aim of contributing to a multilateral outcome on trade liberalization in environmental goods.  
4.32.  Finally, I would like to commend the contributions made by Ambassador Yu Jianhua to the 
work of the WTO here, and I wish China a very fruitful Trade Policy Review. 
NEW
 ZEALAND 
4.33.  The reports from the Government of China and the Secretariat provide an excellent 
overview of China’s trade policy. 
4.34.  They highlight China’s stable economic growth driven by strong domestic demand, with real 
GDP expanding by 7.7% annually in both 2012 and 2013. The role  the growth of the Chinese 
economy played in bringing the world back from global financial crisis cannot be understated, and 
it was appreciated in New Zealand where exports to China continued to grow throughout the period.  
4.35.  Trade between New Zealand and China is flourishing. Since the New Zealand-China Free 
Trade Agreement came into force in 2008, New Zealand exports to China have more than 
quadrupled. Imports from China have also increase d significantly, overtaking Australia in 2011 as 
our largest source of imports. In addition to lower tariffs, the FTA provides us with the institutional 
structure and enhanced relationships to support broader development of the economic 
relationship. 
4.36.  Two-way trade has this month reached $20 billion annually, a year earlier than expected. 
The continuing growth puts us on track to reach our the new goal, agreed by President Xi and 
Prime Minister Key in March this year, of two-way trade of $30 billion by 2020 (two-way trade grew 25% in 2013 alone).   
4.37.  As China looks to implement the significant ec onomic reforms announced at the Third Party 
Plenum, New Zealand will continue to search for new ways to enhance cooperation with China in a 
number of sectors including education, architecture, medical care, logistics, accounting and e-commerce. We also remain firmly dedicated to improving agricultural and food safety 
cooperation, as demonstrated by the recent announcement during Prime Minister Key’s visit to 
China of new food safety scholarships and enhanced agricultural cooperation. 
4.38.  As stated in the reports, during the period under review, Chinese merchandise exports and 
imports have expanded rapidly, making China the world’s largest trader. It is therefore crucially 
important that China continues to pursue trade liberalization and economic reform despite challenges that may arise. There are a number of areas, as outlined in our questions, where we think improvements could be achieved. 
4.39.  New Zealand is concerned about the support programmes and subsidies which China applies 
in the fisheries sector and their contribution to ov er capacity and over fishing. We encourage China 
to review these programmes so that support can be redirected away from capacity enhancement. 
4.40.  China has made positive efforts to facilitate trade, and we note in particular the introduction 
of paperless clearance procedures. However, as stated in the report, China’s customs procedures across the country still require harmonisation, and we encourage China to pursue reforms in this 
area. Timely implementation of the Trade Facilita tion Agreement will provide an opportunity for 
China to make significant progress in this area – benefiting Chinese businesses and consumers as WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  well as global exporters and, in this regard, we welcome China’s recent notification of its Category 
A commitments.  
4.41.  New Zealand commends China for the important leadership role it has played within the 
WTO since its accession in 2001. As the world’s largest trader, China bears great responsibility for 
supporting a predictable and transparent global trading system. We acknowledge the important 
contribution China made to the successful conclusion of the Trade Facilitation Agreement at Bali. In doing so, we urge China to continue to take forward its leadership role as we deepen 
discussions regarding the post-Bali work programme.   
4.42.  New Zealand is a strong supporter of transp arency mechanisms such as Trade Policy 
Reviews and notification processes as they prov ide an essential role in allowing Members to 
understand and review policies and practices of  o t h e r  W T O  M e m b e r s .  I n  t h i s  c o n t e x t ,  w e  
encourage China to ensure effective use of tran sparency mechanisms within the WTO including 
through continuing its efforts to ensure its notification obligations are fulfilled in a timely way. 
ICELAND
  
4.43.  The remarkable rise of China's economy over the past decades, its size and integration in 
the global economy had major implications for larger or small countries alike. The Trade Policy Review of China therefore deserves a special attention as it gives us, the WTO Members, an 
importation platform for reflections and frank exchange of views on China's trade policies. 
4.44.  International trade as played a key role in China's remarkable economic growth. China's 
success is one of the best examples of how the opportunities that the role-based multilateral 
trading system provides to all WTO Members can be a catalyst for economic growth and 
development. 
4.45.  But if all the Members are to be able to take advantage of the same opportunities that China 
has successfully done, it is vital that China provides a stable and transparent regulatory 
environment for foreign economic operators. Procedures such as registration and licensing 
requirements should in itself not be a barrier to trade.  
4.46.  Iceland encourages China to ensure that transparency and non-discrimination is provided in 
its legal and institutional framework. This was indeed an issue prominent in Members interventions 
in the last TPR of China in 2012. 
4.47.  Today, 1 July 2014, marks a milestone in the excellent relations between Iceland and China 
as the Free Trade Agreement between the two countrie s enters into force. Iceland's export figures 
reveal a general trend of increased exports to China although fluctuation occurs from one year to 
the other. Furthermore, the value of imports of Chinese products continues to rise. China is now Iceland's fourth biggest importing country and the biggest trading partner in Asia. The FTA 
represents a reaffirmation of the excellent relations between Iceland and China and it will be a 
central pillar in the growing trade relations between Iceland and China. 
SWITZERLAND 
4.48.  With a trade volume of over 20 billion Swiss Francs, China is Switzerland's third most 
important trading partner. During the last decade, the breadth and depth of cooperation between Switzerland and China has developed to a point where I can only say that our bilateral economic relations are excellent.  
4.49.  In fact, as Minister WANG announced, on this very day, the comprehensive Free Trade 
Agreement between China and Switzerland enters into  force. Our two countries have built up trust 
and mutual understanding so as to permit the conclusion of a preferential trade agreement 
liberalizing trade and enhancing legal security for our economic operators.  
4.50.  Regarding the Trade Policy Review at hand, the questions Switzerland has submitted to 
China deal mainly with issues of transparency and assuring a level playing field for foreign 
economic operators and investors. We, in particular, raised a question on the so-called "Catalogue 
for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries": while a company may be pleased if WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  investments in a certain sector are upgraded from "restricted" to "permitted" or even 
"encouraged", a downgrading from "permitted" to "prohibited" may render investments non-performing and will ultimately cost jobs in China.  
4.51.  Furthermore, as the Secretariat rightly points out in different Chapters of its report, 
state-owned enterprises and state-trading enterprises still have a significant and in certain areas a 
dominant position. In this regard, Switzerland is interested to know which state-owned enterprises enjoy immunity under China's competition law. 
4.52.  Another issue we addressed concerned the unchanged Chinese "consumption tax" levied - 
among other things - on so-called "luxury watches", a category which includes almost only Swiss products. Switzerland is particularly interested in possible plans to reduce this excise tax. 
4.53.  Before I conclude, I would like to draw from the experience of this Organization, especially 
during the past two years in the run-up to Bali: I believe one cannot overestimate the importance 
of the role China has played during this process. In this context, Switzerland commends China, as others, for having submitted its Trade Facilitation Category A notifications in a very timely manner. 
Switzerland would like to encourage China to continue  its efforts to live up to its responsibility as a 
major global economic and trade power in the WTO, in DDA and hopefully soon in the GPA.  
4.54.  Developments around the world highlight the importance of a strong rules-based 
multilateral system, as provided by the WTO, not only for a midsized but internationally highly 
integrated open-trade economy like Switzerland, bu t also for the trade world champion China. In 
this spirit, I call not only on China but upon all Members to increase their efforts in favour of a strong multilateral trading system. 
SEPARATE
 CUSTOMS  TERRITORY  OF TAIWAN,  PENGHU,  KINMEN  AND  MATSU 
4.55.  Since its last review, China has enjoyed comparatively stable economic growth at an 
outstanding annual rate, which is very impressive considering the complex and volatile external 
environment it has had to face, as well as the challenging new developments emerging in China's 
domestic economy. What's more, China has become the largest trader of merchandise in the world (if you exclude intra-EU trade). The main driving force behind all this has been China's 
implementation of a full programme of deeper-t han-ever domestic reforms. By making the 
necessary adjustments to the economic structure and transforming the pattern of development, 
substantial progress has been made in many key areas of the economy, such as expanding domestic demand, accelerating development in the services sector, upgrading industries and 
increasing urban employment. 
4.56.  It is quite clear, however, that China's economy is undergoing one of the greatest 
transformations in its history – focusing on both growth and reform. The overarching challenge 
now is to end the old ways of seeking growth and bring in the new. 
4.57.  In our written questions submitted in advance, we are seeking further clarification of certain 
aspects of China's policy direction and approach. We are grateful to China for its responses, which 
we shall be reviewing carefully as soon as possible. 
4.58.  I will just mention a few issues in which we have a particular interest or concern. Firstly, we 
welcome the decision by China to construct a unified and open market system with orderly 
competition. We ask if China could please elaborate further on its concrete plans, timeframes, and 
the possible reallocation of resources in this respect. 
4.59.  Secondly, on the subject of the China (Shang hai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (CSPFTZ), we ask 
whether, and if so, how China plans to expand and replicate its experiences into other areas in the 
near future? Thirdly, customs procedures across  the whole area are in need of still more 
harmonization. Fourthly, we are concerned as to whether mandatory sectoral and local standards are being notified to the WTO. And, last but not least, we have noticed that China's financial 
support measures at the sectoral, regional and enterprise levels are not always clearly enough 
explained. In this respect, we would encourag e China to ensure the transparency of such 
measures, and their conformity with WTO rules. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.60.  As to the future, we would urge the Chinese Government to accelerate the ongoing deep 
and comprehensive reforms of its economic systems. We would also like to see China strongly re-affirm its adherence to the multilateral trading system and thus give a boost to the DDA negotiations. 
4.61.  Finally, if I may touch briefly on our bilateral trade and investment relationship. We enjoy 
very close and long-standing economic ties with China. Currently it is our largest trading partner and the primary destination for our overseas invest ment. Indeed, it is evident that our trade and 
investment have been influential in China's overall economic development, increasing steadily, and 
becoming more diversified and sophisticated over recent years. We would definitely like to see China continue to pursue a yet more transpar ent and open-door trade regime in the future. 
CHILE 
4.62.  My country places great importance on its bilateral relationship with China. In 1970, 
Chile was the first country in South America to establish diplomatic relations with China, with our countries celebrating 45 years of diplomatic relations next year. 
4.63.  Since China's last review in 2012, we have take n our relations to the next level by forming 
a strategic partnership, attesting to our mutual political trust and extensive cooperation in various sectors. Moreover, at the beginning of this year, we welcomed the entry into force of the 
Supplementary Agreement on Investment, the thir d and last part of the Free Trade Agreement 
between our countries. 
4.64.  With respect to trade, China has become Chile's foremost trading partner and the leading 
destination for our exports since the entry into  force of the Free Trade Agreement between our 
countries in 2006. Exports and imports have increased at an average annual rate of 23% and 
22%, respectively, and by December 2013, trade had exceeded US$34.7 billion. Moreover, both 
countries have been active in various sectors for several years to increase mutual investment, 
trade facilitation and transparency and to pr omote the reduction of non-tariff barriers. 
4.65.  At the multilateral level, both countries have stepped up communication, sharing common 
views and opinions, in various international organizations and forums, such as the 
United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the forum for Asia-Pacific Economic 
Cooperation (APEC), which will be hosted by China this year, and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC). 
4.66.  China has been a Member of the WTO for over 12 years. During this period, it has become a 
key player in the Organization and played a significant role at the Ninth WTO Ministerial 
Conference, showing its commitment to the multilateral trading system. This was also reflected at the recent APEC Ministers of Trade meeting, wher e a statement was made in support of the WTO, 
the post-Bali agenda and the Doha Round. 
4.67.  During the period under review, the Chinese economy recorded steady growth, which is 
expected to continue in 2014. China has become the world's largest trader (excluding trade 
between EU countries), experiencing rapid growth  in exports and imports, and remains a major 
recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI). Moreover, China has taken significant steps to promote and strengthen economic, trade and investme nt reform. For example, in the area of trade 
in goods, China has continued its efforts to facilitate trade and combat monopolistic practices and 
has made progress with respect to measures to improve transparency. 
4.68.  Chile is aware of the challenge of maintainin g steady and robust growth in the face of 
ever-rising inflationary pressures and an unfav ourable external environment. We therefore 
commend it for pursuing a proactive, responsible fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy to 
prevent large-scale economic fluctuations. 
4.69.  As we know, the Chinese people have a tradition of celebrating five- and ten-year 
anniversaries, as five- and 10-year intervals are important and call for responsible, 
committed reflection and evaluation. Such evaluation must bear in mind the future so that progress towards a multilateral trading system may co ntinue for the benefit of our peoples. In light 
of the above, we wish China every success give n that this is its fifth trade policy review. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  JAPAN 
4.70.  After the last review two years ago, China became  the largest in terms of the global trade in 
2013. China's enormous economic progress is due to the courage of its leaders and people to undertake bold reforms as well as to the benefits she obtained from the open and multilateral 
trading system. 
4.71.  Last November’s Third Plenum reform blueprint marked the start of a new chapter in China’s 
development. The blueprint is an ambitious an d comprehensive agenda. The challenge is to 
translate that into specific policies and measures including establishing a level playing field 
between private and state-owned enterprises and implement them. 
4.72.  From this point of view, let me move to some specific comments. 
4.73.  Primo, regarding Chinese role in the WTO, we have five points here. 
4.74.  First, implementation of the Bali Package. Japa n welcomes China’s Category A notification of 
the TF Agreement submitted yesterday. Japan hopes that all provisions that have been implemented and as many provisions as possible are included. For the post-Bali work programme, 
Japan strongly expects a greater Chinese contribution reflecting the drastic change in the world 
economic scene today. 
4.75.  Second, the ITA. Given that certain tariff lines of China have been left unimplemented with 
respect to the current ITA, Japan requests its full implementation. For the ITA expansion 
negotiations, based on the APEC ministers’ statem ent in Qingdao, Japan hopes Chinese leadership 
and flexibility for its very early conclusion. 
4.76.  Third, on environmental goods. Japan welcomes that China participated in the 
announcement at Davos regarding plurilateral environmental goods liberalization negotiations. 
Japan expects that China will play a construc tive role based on the agreed announcement. 
4.77.  Fourth, the GPA. Wishing China’s early accession, Japan requests that China submit a 
revised offer well in advance of the GPA meeting in December, including a much wider coverage of 
SOEs. In addition, Japan requests prompt improvement of China’s domestic legislation, for example, the Government Procurement Act, with a view to making them consistent with the 
revised GPA. 
4.78.  Last but not least, implementation of the WTO agreements. We have three points. First, 
Japan is deeply concerned about various export restricting measures other than those under the dispute settlement process. Second, Japan requests that China observe its notification obligations 
including those on subsidies. Third, regarding the several anti-dumping measures which were 
decided by the DSB to be inconsistent with the WTO agreement, Japan requests that China properly comply with the decisions. 
4.79.  Second, let me turn to the investment and business environment. We have three points 
here. First, sudden change of legislation and admi nistrative procedures without sufficient advance 
notice and explanation. For improving the investment and business environment, Japan requests 
that China redouble her efforts to increase transparency and predictability in these fronts. 
4.80.  Second, IPRs. Japan takes note of China’s recent  improvement of IPR regime to bring it in 
line with TRIPS Agreement. Having said that, Ja pan requests China further develop a reasonable 
and rational framework in according relevant IPRs in a manner which avoid the abuse caused by 
insufficient examination systems. Concerning the protection and implementation of IPRs, Japan 
requests China to strengthen the control of counterfeit and piracy for their eradication including at the local government level. 
4.81.  Third, services. As stressed by the IMF Executive Board last July on the occasion of Article 4 
consultation, opening markets to domestic and foreign competition in this sector is crucial. I fully share the statement of Christine Lagarde this Marc h that the next round of China’s reforms must 
be aimed at increasing the role of the modern se rvice sector. For Japan, we have special interests 
in the distribution, telecommunication and financial services sectors. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.82.  To conclude my remarks, as David Lipton of the IMF stated recently, China has had three 
decades of remarkable economic progress, reflecting an ability to push forward with reforms. Pressing ahead with those reforms is now key. Japan hopes for China's further contribution to the WTO for maintaining and strengthening the MTS and for the global economy 
SINGAPORE 
4.83.  We associate ourselves fully with the ASEA N statement to be delivered later today. 
4.84.  Singapore and China enjoy long-standing bilateral economic ties, underpinned by strong 
trade and investment linkages. Last year, our bilateral trade increased 11% year-on-year to 
US$92 billion, making China our largest trading part ner. In terms of investments, China has been 
our top investment destination since 1997. In 2013 alone, Singapore was the second largest source of FDI into China, increasing by 15.6% ye ar-on-year to US$7.3 billion in over 700 projects. 
Cumulative investments amount to US$66.5 billion in more than 20,000 projects. These 
investments are also becoming more diversified in terms of geography, beyond the traditional 
coastal regions and sectors, in tandem with China’s development. Likewise, as Chinese companies 
“go global”, we have seen their numbers in Singap ore grow, increasing nearly seven-fold from 766 
in 2000 to over 5,200 as of last year.  
4.85.  The China-Singapore FTA is another cornerstone of our economic relations. It has been 
instrumental in bolstering our trade flows and supporting our business communities. The built-in 
review process demonstrates our shared commitment to continually improve the quality of our bilateral FTA and adapt to changing business need s, so that companies can benefit from greater 
market access and reduced business costs.  
4.86.  As the world’s largest trader, China is a very important trade and investment partner for all 
WTO Members. In its Government Report, Ch ina has frankly acknowledged that without 
transformation and upgrading, it would not be able to achieve sustained economic growth. The 
report focuses on the reforms and improvements that China has made and continues to undertake. 
This is a very clear and positive signal to all of us as trading partners about their firm commitment to improve its trade and investment policy regimes, amidst the challenges that come with its 
sizable land mass and population. We commend China for the holistic reforms that we have heard, 
including streamlining of the administration, improvements to business registration as well as reforms in the fiscal and taxation systems. It is also commendable that China’s efforts in reform and liberalization are complemented by policies which also meet social objectives, by targeting 
improvements in rural areas and the needs of small-, medium- and micro-enterprises. 
4.87.  As China embarks on its next phase of growth with greater emphasis on market forces, 
many of us, including Singapore, welcome the opportunity to participate meaningfully in China’s 
development. We are therefore greatly encouraged by the measures taken by China since its last 
TPR to accelerate the development of its services sector, particularly through the liberalization in the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone. We are opti mistic of its success and look forward to the 
expansion of this model in other provinces. Indeed, China has also taken steps to gradually 
liberalize the provision of certain services, such as telecommunications and financial services, outside of the Free Trade Zone. We also welcome th e various measures to simplify rules and ease 
restrictions on use of capital for direct investments.   
4.88.  Given its major role in the international trade, it is all the more important that China 
continues its pursuit of progressive policies, for instance in its TBT and SPS regulations and import licensing regime, and to make further improvements in competition policies. Transparency and 
provision of information are extr emely important for predictability to businesses, and would help 
contribute towards China’s goal of attracting mo re FDI. We encourage China to ensure that its 
notifications to the WTO are submitted in timely ma nner. We congratulate China on the notification 
of its Category A commitments under the recently concluded Trade Facilitation Agreement and we 
hope that China will continue to undertake greater efforts to harmonise its customs procedures. We note the recent rise in initiation of anti-dumping investigations by China and hope that China will ensure that these are conducted in accordance with WTO rules.   
4.89.  Reforms cannot take place overnight and the results and benefits may also take a while 
before they can be realized. We are now witnessing  the results of what China has put in place over WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  a consistent period of time. Singapore is cert ain that with China’s strong commitment which 
Assistant Minister Wang has reaffirmed today, we will continue to see positive changes and more good news, including the day when China joins us as one of the Parties to the Government Procurement Agreement. 
4.90.  Our delegation has always enjoyed excellent working relations and good cooperation with 
Ambassador Yu’s very capable team in Geneva. We look forward to continuing this, in our common goal of upholding the multilateral trading system.  
MEXICO 
4.91.  In spite of the slow, fragile recovery of th e global economy over the past few years, 
China has a maintained a surprising, steady 8.6% rate of economic growth, which has boosted its efforts to tackle income disparities and fight poverty. This growth has been more inclusive, 
thanks to ambitious public policies, such as the extension of health coverage and pension 
programmes, and minimum living allowa nces for people in rural areas. 
4.92.  While income among the lowest deciles of the rural and urban population rose more quickly 
than that in the highest deciles and the number of  people living in absolute poverty decreased 
from 99 million in 2012 to 82.5 million in 2013, the Gi ni coefficient remains high at 0.47, which is 
above the 0.45 weighted average of OECD countries with the lowest incomes per capita and higher 
levels of inequality. 
4.93.  Although domestic demand has played a greater role in economic growth, 
the savings-investment gap has narrowed, meaning that policies aimed at increasing consumption must be maintained so that the "economy  r e b a l a n c e s  f r o m  i n v e s t m e n t  t o  m o r e  
consumption-driven growth", as suggested by the IMF in its World Economic Outlook from last 
April. 
Openness to trade and investment 
4.94.  China has become the world's main exporter and importer, with growth of around 40% over 
the past three years. China is the largest recipi ent of FDI and the third largest investor in the 
world. 
4.95.  China's trade and investment performance could improve even more if the country: 
 Reduced significant barriers to trade such as export restrictions used under the largely 
unconvincing guise of "export business management" and export taxes that can range from 5% to 75%. 
 Continued its efforts to facilitate trade, especially by publishing information, simplifying 
and harmonizing documents, and automating and streamlining customs procedures. We welcome China's notification of category A measures under the Agreement on Trade 
Facilitation. 
 Reduced some restrictions to foreign investment in basic services, such as 
telecommunications, transport, courier,  media, banking, insurance and fund 
management. 
 We are struck by the fact that investors must show net economic benefits to establish a 
commercial presence. As a result, services trade and FDI restrictiveness indices show that China is amongst the 25 most restrictive countries in the world. In practically every 
analysed sector, China has the highest services restrictiveness index of the 40 countries 
included in the OECD's analysis. 
 Eliminated policies with hints of subsidies, such as exemption from custom duties and 
VAT collection on imports of capital goods for projects in the "encouraged" category that 
are described in the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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   Reduced government involvement in the economy, as the State accounts for 40% of 
fixed-asset investment and two thirds of exports. 
 Incorporated all state-owned enterprises in the regulatory framework so as to promote 
competition – that is, to allow market forces to play a greater role in various economic 
sectors. 
 In light of ongoing migration from the country side to urban areas, the number of people 
working in agriculture is decreasing and the remaining population in the countryside is 
aging quickly. Greater mechanization in the agricultural sector is therefore needed in 
order to increase small-scale farmers' labour productivity. 
 China should gradually replace agricultural input subsidies with direct payments at a 
fixed rate per unit of land, without setting  purchasing or production requirements. 
 Improved the business environment so that businesses can generate sustained growth in 
productivity. According to the World Bank's Doing Business 2014, China is ranked the 99
th best economy for doing business and the 158th for starting a business. 
 We praise China's efforts to expand and open up the services sectors and to reform the 
investment administration mechanism, push forward trade transformation and further open up financial services, at least in the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone. 
 However, there is a list of sectors in which approval is needed and, in some cases, 
investment is restricted. Its impact on the Chinese economy might be limited, but if the Government reduced the scope of its Negative List and eased the restrictions on corporate property, these zones could have a positive effect for the economy, especially 
if the number of them increased. 
 According to the Secretariat Report, there have not been significant changes in services 
since the previous TPR, or in their contri bution to GDP (46% in 2013 versus 43% in 
2010). Policies to substantially increase their GDP share therefore need to be 
established. 
4.96.  In all of these areas, the implemen tation of the Decision of the 18
th National Congress of the 
Communist Party of China held in November 2013, calling for the construction of a united and 
open market system with orderly competition, will be key. 
Conclusion 4.97.  In summary, while China's economic performance has been impressive even in times of 
global economic crisis, China should still take a series of initiatives that would allow it to reap even 
more benefits from internat ional trade and investment. 
4.98.  Before I finish, I would like to thank the Chinese delegation for its work on this review and 
for its efforts to answer our questions. Please  note that we will be sending a few more. 
EUROPEAN
 UNION 
4.99.  China is a key player in the multilateral trading system. Often China is the most important 
trade partner for the Members gathered today, wh ich means that China’s actions have a direct 
impact on our economic growth and on our citizens ' lives. For the EU, China is the second biggest 
trading partner, and in fact the first source of its imports.  
4.100.  China's own experience as a WTO Member could be considered the best advertisement for 
economic opening in a rules-based multilateral framework. China’s ascent to becoming the world’s 
largest trader has brought with it astonishing results in terms of growth, and development. But reaping benefits from the multilateral trading system brings with it increased responsibilities 
towards the WTO and its Members.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.101.  China states in its report, I quote "to have fully honoured its extensive commitments of the 
WTO accession". However, from the EU's point of view, there is still much room for improvement 
as concerns China's obligation. Let me start with transparency. 
 Transparency on Members’ policies is essential for the good functioning of the WTO and for 
 the TPR we are just participating in. In its Accession Protocol, China committed to publish in 
 a single official journal all laws, regulations and other measures both at central and sub  central level pertaining to or affecting trade in goods, services, IPR or foreign exchange 
 control. However, in several parts of its Report, the Secretariat has raised concerns about its 
 inability to conduct the review because China either had not published relevant trade-related 
 measures or had not made translations of them available in one or more WTO languages.  The fact that the Secretariat has not been able to obtain key documents is striking. The EU 
 considers that this key Accession commitment has not been fulfilled and recommends that 
 China promptly remedies this situation. It is also important that China takes all measures to  ensure that stakeholders are consulted on new policy or draft legislation, in conformity with 
 China's commitments, with suffic ient time for them to react. 
 Notifications are also a key element of transp arency among WTO Members. The EU calls on 
 China to promptly improve its record. Worth stressing that the Secretariat highlights 
 deficiencies in the notification of subsidie s and considers the system of operation and of 
 provision of incentives for the state-owned enterprises as very unclear. Given the important  role the Government plays in the Chinese econ omy, the need for China to comply with its 
 obligations is all the greater. Gaps are also reported in the SPS and TBT fields. 
 Consistent implementation of legislation at all levels would certainly be improved if there 
 was more transparency at all levels. Economic actors report a recurrent problem which  consists in legislation being implemented in an inconsistent or contradictory manner at the 
 local, provincial or national level. In this regard, let me take the example of the SPS area. 
 The fragmentation of the responsibilities among the several agencies that are in charge, the  lack of updated and transparent information on temporary bans that are applied to 
 importers without any notification and the lack of science-based evidence for certain 
 measures that are imposed are all elements that constitute serious barriers to trade.  
4.102.  Regarding the business climate, the EU consid ers that several elements would improve the 
situation: 
 First, easier access to the judicial system is needed for foreign operators as well as 
 enhanced independence of the judicial system . Obviously, the quality and independence of 
 the judicial system, both at central and local level, is of critical importance to all operators 
 and would also benefit Chinese businessmen.  
 Second, competition enforcement, if applied eq ually to all entities, would help achieve a 
 level playing field among the private and state-owned entities. 
4.103.  Regarding Foreign Direct Investment, market opening and the removal of the 
discriminatory barriers that still apply to a good number of economic activities would help China to attract more FDI. The EU looks forward to more ambitious opening on investment and services in 
the Shanghai Free Trade Zone and generally more opening across the country. 
4.104.  FDI attraction is also contingent upon adequate protection of Intellectual Property Rights. 
This is true in particular but not solely in the field of new technologies which are important for the sustainable development model that China wishes to promote. In this regard, the EU commends 
the ongoing efforts carried out by China but considers that there are still significant obstacles that 
impede trade and investment, in particular the issue of forced technology transfer and inadequate protection of trade secrets.  
4.105.  The EU in its advanced questions has addressed all the issues I have just mentioned. Of 
course, the EU is fully aware of the real development challenges that China is facing and which are well described in the Government Report. The EU commends China for its determination to carry out challenging reforms, and encourages China to continue its economic opening, promoting 
transparency, and sustainability of its economic development. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.106.  China is a genuine supporter of the multilateral trading system and the EU trusts that 
China will positively contribute to the adoption of the post Bali work programme. In this regard, we welcome China's recent notification of its Catego ry A commitments under the TFA. We also note 
that, regarding ITA, China states in its report that "it is willing to jointly work with other parties to 
push the negotiation towards the right direction, with a view to finding a solution and reaching an 
agreement at an early date". The EU hopes that such commitment will translate soon into a Chinese constructive attitude which would pave the way to a positive outcome of this important 
negotiation. The EU is ready to work with Chin a and other partners on a strong and balanced 
result of these important multilateral and plurilateral processes. 
UNITED
 STATES 
4.107.  China acceded to the WTO twelve years ago. Looking back, it is easy to see how 
dramatically trade and investment have expanded among China and its many trading partners, 
including the United States, since China joined the WTO. Indeed, China has risen to become the 
WTO’s largest trader. It is clear from these results that China benefits immensely from the global 
trading system. It is equally clear that Chin a’s emergence and growth have, in turn, had a 
tremendous impact on economies throughout the world, as well as on the WTO as an institution. 
4.108.  China’s rise has not always followed the path envisioned by China’s Protocol of Accession. 
During most of the past decade, China emphasized the State’s role in the economy, diverging from 
the path of economic reform that had driven China’s accession to the WTO. With the state leading China’s economic development, China pursued new and more expansive industrial policies guiding and supporting Chinese industries, particularly on es dominated by state-owned enterprises. This 
heavy State intervention in the economy generated serious trade frictions with China’s many trade 
partners, including the United States. 
4.109.  Over the past year, however, there have been several positive signs that China’s new 
leaders are focused on re-energizing economic reform in China, including a top-level decision 
reached in November 2013 at the Third Plenum of the 18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, which endorsed a number of far-reaching economic reform pronouncements – 
not the least of which is that the market shall be “decisive” in allocating resources. While the Third 
Plenum pronouncements and other important developments over the past year have yet to translate into substantial changes in China’s trade and investment regimes, the United States is encouraged by the direction that they provide. 
4.110.  That said, as we consider the Secretariat’s report, we are struck by the obstacles that the 
Secretariat encountered in trying to pull together the required analysis of China’s trade and investment regime. Many of these obstacles seem unique to China. China’s deep involvement in 
the economy might suggest that the Chinese Government would be in an especially favourable 
position to provide information to the Secretariat, but the Secretariat’s report instead reflects systemic difficulties in securing needed informatio n. Indeed, it has been our experience that many 
aspects of China’s trade and investment policies and practices seem to remain hidden away in 
unpublished measures, internal instructions, oral directives and confidential documents – or for some other reason are simply unavailable. Similarly, the operations of China’s state-owned enterprises – which represent a major part of China’s economy – are largely shielded from view by 
mechanisms such as unpublished government budgets, infrequent WTO notifications and a law 
that can treat commercial information as state secrets.  
4.111.  Compounding these challenges to fully understanding China’s trade and investment 
regimes is another challenge – China’s failure to  implement important transparency commitments 
that China made to the WTO Memb ership when it acceded to the WTO in 2001. For example, China 
committed to make available in one or more WTO languages all laws, regulations and other 
measures pertaining to or affecting trade in goods, services, trade-related intellectual property 
rights or the control of foreign exchange. Yet, China still has not taken any steps to put in place procedures for undertaking and making available the required translations, even as it has become the WTO’s largest trader. As the Secretariat’s report demonstrates, the lack of available 
translations can create significant challenges when  trying to understand and navigate China’s trade 
and investment regimes. Several times in its report, the Secretariat states that it was not possible to explain a Chinese policy or to confirm a stat ement made by the Chinese authorities because the 
underlying documents were only available in the Chinese language. We know that the European 
Union translates all of its official documents – not just measures relating to trade – into WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  24 languages, and we know that China is not the only WTO Member to have taken on this type of 
transparency obligation. In our view, the challe nges evident from this year’s report by the 
Secretariat, combined with China’s huge role in the world trading system, underscore the importance of China finding the means and know-how  to translate its trade-related measures into 
one WTO language, as it promised to do long ago. While this would be a significant undertaking, it 
also would create a win-win scenario. Making translations of China’s trade-related measures readily accessible can only serve to increase trade and investment and isn’t that one of the main 
purposes of this Organization?  
4.112.  Turning to the specifics of this year’s Trade Policy Review, as we look back over the past 
two years, the United States notes both positive developments and negative developments in key areas.  
4.113.  As in past years, one area that continues to generate significant concerns for the United 
States is China’s inadequate and uneven protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. While the Secretariat’s report and the Government report both describe extensive efforts by 
the Chinese authorities to make improvements, an enormous amount of work remains to close 
significant loopholes in China’s legal framework, and to reduce the unacceptably high infringement levels in China. 
4.114.  With regard to industrial policies, while we are hopeful that the Third Plenum will 
eventually lead to a significantly reduced role for the Government in China’s economy, China’s embrace of State capitalism over the past decade generated innumerable policies that seek to limit 
market access for imported goods, foreign manufacturers and foreign service suppliers, while 
offering substantial government guidance, resources and regulatory support to China’s 
state-owned enterprises and other favoured domestic companies. For example, China continues to deploy export quotas, export duties, variable value-added tax rebates and other export restraints, 
particularly on raw material inputs where it holds the leverage of being among the world’s leading 
producers. China also pursues discriminatory policies promoting “indigenous innovation,” maintains investment restrictions, mandates the use of unique national standards and imposes many other 
kinds of direct and indirect restrictions on foreign companies and their goods and services.  
4.115.  One other key way in which China supports its domestic industries is through subsidization, 
as is well-documented by WTO disputes and Members’ anti-subsidy investigations. A review of China’s numerous five-year plans strongly suggests, moreover, that this subsidization is 
widespread and massive. It is therefore particularly troubling that China remains years behind in 
its required subsidies notifications and that the Secretariat’s report notes several instances in which China was unwilling or unable to provide requested information. In its twelve years of WTO 
Membership, China has submitted only two notifi cations under Article 25 of the SCM Agreement, 
with its last notification coveri ng only 2005 to 2008. Furthermore, China’s notifications have been 
seriously incomplete. China has never notified any sub-central government subsidies, even though 
hundreds of them have been the subject of WTO disputes. China also has yet to notify a single wild 
capture fishery subsidy program since becoming a WTO Member, even though China is by far the world’s greatest fishing power and the Secretariat’s Report lists over thirty on-going fishery support programmes. This lack of transparency is unacceptable in the face of the rapidly declining 
state of the world’s fish stocks. In addition, China has failed to notify any agricultural support 
provided after 2008, even though it appears that China has significantly increased its subsidies for 
many agricultural products in recent years – including what appears to be the world’s largest 
subsidies in the area of cotton. 
4.116.  In the area of services, the Secretariat’s report characterizes the new Shanghai Free Trade 
Zone as “a pilot project to test the further liberalization of trade in services". We look forward to 
further liberalization, both inside and outside the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, and hope that it will 
address Chinese regulators’ continued use of discrim inatory regulatory processes, informal bans on 
entry and expansion, restrictions on the cross- border supply of services, overly burdensome 
licensing and operating requirements and other measures that have frustrated the efforts of U.S. 
suppliers in several important sectors to achieve their full market potential in China. 
4.117.  In the area of agriculture, despite robust trade, China remains an unpredictable market, 
largely because of selective intervention in the market by China’s regulatory authorities. It also 
appears that China has still not fully embraced international standards and science-based 
rulemaking with regard to both sanitary and phytosanitary barriers and other measures. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.118.  The United States is working bilaterally with China to resolve our concerns through 
cooperative and constructive engagement. Our principal avenues for dialogue include the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, where the two sides seek pragmatic resolutions to pressing trade issues, and the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, which 
helps manage the complex U.S.-China economic relationship on a long-term, strategic basis. 
4.119.  At the same time, the United States actively pursues dispute settlement at the WTO when 
dialogue does not resolve our concerns. Two years ago before the Trade Policy Review Body, we 
felt compelled to discuss two recently filed WTO disputes, which reflected our deep concerns about 
a pattern of conduct by China’s Ministry of Commerc e – specifically, what seemed to be a reflexive 
resort to domestic trade remedy investigations and duties in response to legitimate actions taken by the United States or other trading partners under their trade remedies laws. We explained that 
this type of apparently retaliatory conduct, which is specifically provided for under Chinese law, is 
at odds with fundamental WTO principles, and th at the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism, not 
the immediate initiation of a new trade remedy investigation, is the appropriate means to try to 
resolve concerns about a trading partner’s actions. We can now report that WTO panels and the 
Appellate Body have issued findings in three se parate disputes brought by the United States 
confirming that China failed to abide by WTO disciplines when imposing its duties. 
4.120.  In conclusion, now that China is the WTO’s largest trader, there can be no question about 
China’s enormous impact on global trade and the operation and functioning of institutions like the WTO. We now need to see China’s active leadership to support these institutions, including through the actions that China takes at home, to match its trading status. China’s notification, just 
yesterday, of Category A provisions under th e new Trade Facilitation Agreement is a welcome 
indication of such leadership. We look for additional indications of such leadership, including notably through redoubled efforts by China to bring about a balanced and commercially significant 
conclusion to negotiations to expand the Information Technology Agreement. WTO Members 
rightfully have high expectations of its top trader s. As one of those top traders, the United States 
looks forward to working with China with a shared sense of responsibility, both in the negotiations 
we conduct and in how we approach adherence to the important disciplines of the WTO. 
TURKEY 4.121.  It is good to observe that China has maintained a generally successful growth and 
development outcome during the period under review, despite the fact that it has been facing 
quite complex and challenging international environment. In this regard, we hope that Chinese 
Government’s efforts towards achieving a sound transformation of its development pattern, the adjustment and optimization of its economic reforms will yield their desired outcomes. 
4.122.  In this context, we expect that the Governments "Policy of New Thinking on 
Macro-economy" will also reach its objective of solving the dilemma between the short term stimulation and long term-growth bottlenecks of the economy. 
4.123.  It is important to note that China’s recent initiatives including the expenditure-switching 
policies towards domestic demand, accelerating the development of services sector, its focus on innovation-driven development, and public economic  enterprises and administrative reforms are all 
important tools for furthering reform process.  
4.124.  As was also expressed by Assistant Minister of China; China has been trying to strike a 
balance between market and Government via enhancing the space for market and increasing the efficiency for the Government. Elimination of more than 400 regulatory items is an important 
indication in this regard. 
4.125.  We also maintain a strong view that China has been increasingly taking an active and more 
responsible role for supporting and managing the global trading system. In this context, I would 
like to specifically express our appreciation an d welcome the recent Chinese submission of Trade 
Facilitation Category A Commitments. 
4.126.  Like any other WTO Member, there is of course, also a room for China for further 
deepening its trade and economic reform. As was also emphasized by our discussant, China needs 
to improve its overall economic regulations, to further liberalize its trade, investment and IPR WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  regime, to reform its industrial, subsidy and credit system and to enhance its environmental 
sustainability. 
4.127.  We believe that, in line with its continuously increasing share in international commerce, 
China will continue to make further successful reform of its trade and economy, and it will give 
even more support to the multilateral trading system through its continuous positive engagement. 
4.128.  I should like to underline that, on the bilateral front we want to further deepen our bilateral 
economic relations with China. In 2013, our tota l trade volume has reached US$28.3 billion largely 
in favour of China. We wish to further improve and balance our trade and FDI relations in both 
ways also in other markets. 
KOREA 4.129.  We find this TPR meaningful and significant as it provides WTO Members with a good 
opportunity to better understand where the Chinese economy stands and is headed. There is a 
saying that it is just like "whipping an alread y galloping horse", which means encouraging what is 
good to become better and best. We view that China fifth TPR of this year is a meaningful 
opportunity for whipping an already galloping horse. 
4.130.  We are pleased to note that China's economy has again experienced continued strong 
growth during the period under review (2012-2014), with its real GDP expanding by 7.7% 
annually after the robust growth in 2010 and 2011. As the Secretariat noted, the driving force is 
strong domestic demand and active fiscal poli cy. China's such strong domestic demand has 
contributed to the broader global economic growth. 
4.131.  It is no secret that China was the second largest trader during the previous review period, 
and now has become the world's largest trader, with total trade volume of US$4.16 trillion in 
2013. In addition, China remains a large recipient of FDI. FDI inflows reached US$117.6 billion in 2013. This, in part, is the result of Chinese Government's targeted efforts to attract FDI through 
measures aimed at simplifying rules and easing restriction on the use of capital for direct 
investment. Indeed, given China's overall economic  performance through trade and investment, it 
can be characterized that China has contributed to the global economic growth as not only a major 
producer, but also a major consumer, and it can also be said that a stable and healthy Chinese 
economy is almost synonymous with a healthy global economy. 
4.132.  In this context, we would like to commend China on its efforts to further accelerate its 
"opening up" as Assistant Minister Wang mentioned this morning and as highlighted by "A Decision 
on Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reforms" adopted at the Third Plenary 
Session of the 18
th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held in 
November 2013. Particularly, we would like to welcome the detailed roadmap and a time-frame for 
the implementation of the reforms that were elaborated, whereby 330 major reform measures 
covering 15 areas have been set. 
4.133.  However, we pay particular attention to the fact that the Chinese authorities noted "after 
more than three decades of fast expansion, Ch ina is undergoing a period of restructuring and 
reform. And the reform process is entering a stage where crucial problems need to be addressed and that, to this end, China is making efforts to deepen reforms and restructuring". Indeed, we 
expect that China will further contribute to the po sitive development of the global economy while it 
enhances its own internal economic stability through proactive measures. 
4.134.  Korea and China are not only firm believers in  the multilateral trading system, represented 
by the WTO, but also strong supporters of its e nhancement. Like Korea, China has been actively 
participating in the DDA negotiations, and plurilateral negotiations such as the GPA and expansion 
of the ITA. 
4.135.  On the bilateral front, Korea and China are enjoying one of the most robust and interlinked 
economic relationships. China is currently Korea's largest trading partner, while Korea stands as 
China's third largest trading partner. The bilateral trade volume reached US$229 billion in 2013. Regarding investment, 20% of Korea's FDI is destined for China, reaching a total of US$60 billion in 2013. Investment in Korea by Chinese investors cumulatively amounts to US$4.9 billion. What WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  is further encouraging is that the two countries are negotiating an FTA, through which the bilateral 
economic cooperation on all fronts are expected to expand even further. 
4.136.  Let me turn to some areas of particular interests and issues for Korea with respect to the 
economic and trade policies of China. Along these lines, I would like to make several comments as 
follows. 
4.137.  While we recognize China's efforts on economic reform and restructuring across the board, 
there is still room for further improvement. Fi rst, redundant administrative regulations and 
inconsistent administrative measures in the central and local Governments need to be rectified. 
For instance, regarding the registration requirement for retail business, our relevant industry says that one has to separately register for the opening of a second shop in the same city, which appears as administratively overly burdensome. 
4.138.  Another example concerns customs inspection for goods. We would like to indicate that a 
negative approach is administratively efficient than a positive approach. We would also like to point out that the global trend in customs inspection is to focus on risk management based on the 
corporation rather than the goods themselves. 
4.139.  Secondly, the enforcement of IPR needs to be reinforced. As the Secretariat noted, despite 
efforts by the authorities to combat infringement, the enforcement of IPRs continues to be a major 
challenge in China. For instance, damages caused by malicious preregistration of foreign 
trademarks and by counterfeit cosmetics are still heavily reported. We would like to hear about what measures are being considered by the relevant Chinese authorities. 
4.140.  Thirdly, China's resorting to trade remedies needs to be more prudent, and it is 
unfortunate that this remains an important issue even after it was heavily discussed recently in 
various multilateral settings. 
4.141.  Lastly, China's notifications to the WTO need to be updated in some areas, including those 
related to subsidies. 
4.142.  In addition to these points, my delegation also submitted a number of advance written 
questions to China on the various aspects of its trade and trade-related policies and measures. We 
would like to take this opportunity to thank China in advance for responding to our requests. We 
will look into them carefully and come back to some of them later, if necessary. 
4.143.  We trust and expect that China's economy will continue to be the driving force of, and 
make contributions to, the growth of global econ omy. That is why we expect all the more that 
China will take in, consider and respond to the concerns and overwhelming interests demonstrated 
by the number of questions raised in this meeting.  Indeed, a Decision on Major Issues Concerning 
Comprehensively Deepening Reforms of the 18
th National Congress of the CPC was timely. In this 
regard, China's 5th TPR is a meaningful opportunity for "whipping an already galloping horse", as I 
mentioned at the outset. Through this TPR, WTO Members can understand where the Chinese economy stands and urge China to make further efforts. 
NORWAY 
4.144.  First of all, let me refer to our bilateral trade relationship with China. China is Norway’s 3rd 
largest source of imports and 11th largest export destination. We have been pleased to observe that there has been an increase of 5% from 2012 to 2013 in our trade in goods.  
4.145.  The trade patterns reflect both the diversity and the complementary nature of our 
economies – a pattern we welcome and hope will continue. 
4.146.  Both China and Norway attach great importance  to the multilateral trading system and to 
the conclusion of the Doha Round. Particularly no w, in the current economic climate, the world 
economy needs an impetus. We are pleased to note that China has generally resisted a protectionist response to the effects of the global  economic crisis, and that China as many have 
stated, serves as an engine for growth for the world economy.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.147.  China and Norway are both world leading maritime nations. Maritime cooperation between 
China and Norway is significant, including in the WTO.  
4.148.  Norway places great emphasis on the negoti ations on maritime services in the WTO. 
Supply of and access to maritime services on open, non-restricted and equal market conditions is 
crucial to economic development. Improved and binding commitments in the WTO is an important 
basis for fair competition and economic growth in the global maritime industry.  
4.149.  China is the largest wind energy provider worldwide. Our countries share both ambitions 
and interests as developers and providers of clea n energy. We see considerable global benefits 
facilitating closer bilateral cooperation, and call upon China to maintain an open and transparent environment for investment in this area. Likewi se, we underline our considerable complimentary 
interest in oil and gas production. Being the larges t consumer of energy in total figures, China has 
a particular responsibility in ensuring sustainable energy, as well as working towards a stronger 
regime to forge global energy security. 
4.150.  We would also like to associate ourselves with the remarks made by New Zealand on 
fisheries subsidies which could contribute to overfishing. 
4.151.  Norway continues to stress the importance of transparency, predictability and 
non-discrimination as the pillars of the international trade regime. Norway commends China for 
continuing the process of opening up the economy and its efforts to facilitate trade and 
investment.  
4.152.  In a business survey conducted last year, quite a few Norwegian companies operating in 
China reported that they experienced a number of difficulties related to trade in goods and 
services. 
4.153.  With regard to trade in goods, procedures  related to customs clearance, duties and 
expedited shipments are time-consuming and cumb ersome. We therefore look forward to China 
implementing to the fullest possible, the new Ag reement in Trade Facilitation. We welcome the 
leadership demonstrated by China in its notification of category A commitments in Trade facilitation. 
4.154.  Other delegations have already mentioned SPS-related problems. The issue of testing and 
quarantine measures applied to fresh salmon since December 2010 continues to concern us.  Norway recognizes each WTO Member’s right to set their own appropriate level of protection, however, we are concerned about the justification and proportionality of the applied measures and 
of the lack of transparency involved. This issue has been raised a number of times both bilaterally 
and in the context of the SPS-committee. We strongly regret that China has still not responded favourably to Norway’s concrete request for a bilateral meeting between technical experts.  
4.155.  We have recently been informed that China applies a system of import licensing for 
Norwegian salmon that de facto  constitutes a system of import quotas. We question the lack of 
transparency about the procedures, their justification as well as their conformity with WTO rules. 
We invite China to clarify this issue as a matter of urgency.  
4.156.  With regard to trade in services, licensing requirements and what is perceived as 
discriminatory treatment of foreign companies is a challenge.  
4.157.  Like others, Norway has submitted specific questions and comments about China’s trade 
and investment policies and procedures and we look forward to the responses to these. 
4.158.  In closing, Norway appreciates this opportunity to comment on China’s trade policy. We 
welcome further cooperation on trade matters with our Chinese colleagues and wish you a 
successful trade policy review. 
COLOMBIA 4.159.  "Keep a cool head and maintain a low profile. Never take the lead, but aim to do 
something big". These words, spoken by Deng Xiaoping, seem to partially reflect China's current WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  economic reality. I say "partially" because while the country is not trying to assume a visible 
leadership, it is still a driver of the world economy and a major player in today's global trade. 
4.160.  Although growth rates are lower than in previous years, they remain high in comparison to 
global standards, at levels of at least 7%. More over, China has become the world's largest trader 
in terms of both imports and exports, which expa nded so much during the period under review 
that the amount of exports in 2013 was 40% higher than in 2010. 
4.161.  Since the reforms of the late 1970s, China ha s been promoting the adoption of policies 
aimed at further opening its trade regime. We are therefore pleased to see in the Secretariat 
Report that there has been significant progress in the country's trade policy since the last review, including: 
 Establishment of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (CSPFTZ) as a national 
strategy to deepen trade and investment reforms. 
 Adoption of measures aimed at gradually liberalizing the provision of services outside of 
the Pilot Free Trade Zone. 
 Ongoing efforts to facilitate trade in goods. 
 Implementation of measures to improve the protection and enforcement of intellectual 
property rights. 
 Introduction of changes to streamline the assessment and approval procedures for 
investment projects. 
 More unilateral preferences granted to a significant number of LDCs. 
4.162.  Notwithstanding the above and other positive developments, some areas would appear to 
give WTO Members cause for concern: 
 Persistence of a high level of State involvement in the economy, which could generate 
distortions that might be amplified by the fact that State-owned enterprises are not 
covered under China's competition legislation. 
 Lack of clarity regarding the amount of support the Government is giving exports and 
various economic sectors. 
 Late subsidy and agriculture notifications. 
 With respect to anti-dumping practices, lack of transparency in the procedures and 
possible circumvention of duties in the event of investigations. 
 Different layers of regulation, making it difficult to unravel which sectoral policies are 
being applied. 
 Conflicting guidelines for policy implementation, reflecting different institutional agendas. 
4.163.  To conclude, we would like to draw attention to what China states in its report about 
currently being the largest trading partner of more than 120 countries, as well as one of the major 
driving forces behind world economic growth. In lig ht of this, China adds that it will proactively 
participate in global economic governance and exert its influence as a major developing trading 
power. This is reminiscent of the Chinese prover b: "Bamboo naturally grows very quickly and very 
tall, as high as 100 feet, but will continue reaching new heights". 
4.164.  We therefore urge China to continue growin g and to pursue its domestic development 
policies in line with the multilateral trading system's principle of predictability. We are confident 
that such policies will have a positive impact on the global economic environment. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  COSTA  RICA 
4.165.  Costa Rica has a special relationship with China that we would like to continue 
strengthening. In addition to our close friendship and cooperation, a free trade agreement between the two countries has been in force since August 2011. Since then, bilateral trade has 
increased by close to 70%, driven primarily by the participation of both countries in global value 
chains. China is our main trading partner in Asia, our seventh export destination and the second largest source of our imports. 
4.166.  Even though there has been a slowdown in rece nt years, China's rate of economic growth 
is still higher than the rest of the world's and is expected to rise above 7% in the next few years. The country's robust growth rate has allowed it to become the world's largest trader and second 
largest economy. The figures remain impressive: China accounted for more than half of the BRIC's 
contribution to growth in global economic production in recent years, and China's share in world 
GDP, measured by market exchange rates, rose from 2% in 1995 to 12% in 2013. 
4.167.  This growth has been driven by the economic reforms carried out over the past 30 years, 
which have allowed China to reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty from 250 to 
15 million. We are highly interested in the most recent reforms launched with a view to sustaining China's growth, especially by stimulating domestic demand. 
4.168.  The reform of the investment regime to make it more open and predictable, the 
acceleration of the implementation of free trade agreements and the development of the Shanghai 
Pilot Free Trade Zone are a few examples of other measures introduced by China. We hope to hear more about the results of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone, especially regarding the possibility 
of introducing some of the pilot reforms in the rest of the economy. However, according to the 
Secretariat, different layers of regulation are still a significant obstacle to unravelling specific policy measures in China, hence the importance of the measures aimed at simplifying regulations, 
easing the restrictions on FDI and increasing transparency. 
4.169.  We are also very interested in the developmen t of the services sector in China. In 2012, 
trade in services accounted for roughly 10% of all of China's trade, which is significantly less than 
the global average of 20%. In his opening statement at UNCTAD's Second Global Services Forum, 
which was held in China in May 2013, China's Prime Minister Li Keqiang acknowledged the importance of trade in services in China's futu re and stressed that the development of services 
was an important means of promoting sust ained growth, maintaining employment and 
accelerating the modernization of the Chinese economy. No doubt, the services sector in China has 
great potential and in 2012 it had already attracted more foreign investment than any other sector in the economy. 
4.170.  My delegation wishes to highlight the trade facilitation initiatives that China has been 
implementing, such as paperless customs clearance, and facilitation of border procedures, customs services and quality inspection. The Secretariat Report also notes the importance of harmonizing 
customs procedures in the country. Such measures boost foreign trade as a whole, for both 
exporters and importers, and are essential to successful participation in global value chains. They also benefit all of China's trading partners. In addition to these measures, we appreciate the 
Chinese Government's commitment to implemen ting the Bali Agreements, especially the 
Agreement on Trade Facilitation, within the established deadlines. We welcome China's recent 
notification of its Category A commitments and are pleased to work with China on the environmental goods initiative. 
4.171.  Costa Rica recognizes the key role that China plays in the WTO's multilateral trading 
system and its leadership in strengthening this Organization. In light of this commitment, it seems important for China to stay on top of its notifica tion obligations at the WTO. We especially look 
forward to receiving information on domestic support in agriculture over the past few years 
(2011-2013), an issue that has repeatedly been ra ised in Members' questions, including those of 
Costa Rica. 
4.172.  My delegation is aware of the significant effo rt that has been made by the country under 
review in preparing its responses to the questions that have been posed. We therefore thank China 
for its replies, which we will carefully consider. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  CANADA 
4.173.  There is no doubt that being part of the mult ilateral rules-based trading system has greatly 
benefitted China’s economic development, including its transformation from developing country to emerging economy to a true global economic power. The IMF estimates that from 2000 to 2013, 
China more than tripled its share of the global economy from just under 4% to over 12%. Two 
years ago, it became the world’s largest trader in goods, and it will soon become the largest economy.  
4.174.  While China’s story is filled with such accomplishments, important challenges remain. 
Importantly, China is at a critical moment of tran sformation and its successes or failures will be 
the world’s successes or failures. For example, since the financial crisis, activity in China has been too dependent on credit and investment. While this has supported China’s growth, and provided a 
welcome boost to the global economy at a time of falling demand, such a growth model is simply 
not sustainable and is already the cause of rising  vulnerabilities. While China has taken actions to 
address some of these vulnerabilities, including with respect to shadow banking and local 
government debts, achieving sustainable growth an d development will depend on its broader long 
term strategy of shifting its model of economic growth towards domestic demand. Trade can play an important role in supporting China’s rebalancing, and we would encourage it to consider further 
ways to leverage trade’s contribution to growth and rebalancing through the continued 
liberalization of its domestic markets.   
4.175.  It seems clear that China’s leaders are fully co gnizant of the challenges they face and we 
are encouraged by their commitment to implement a new round of structural reforms. 
Nonetheless, we would like to focus China’s attention on four particular areas of concern to 
Canada: (1) foreign investment restrictions; (2) regulatory barriers to trade; (3) state-owned enterprises; and (4) transparency. Reforms in these areas will help address several of the hurdles 
foreign companies encounter in the Chinese market , and will be to the benefit of the Chinese 
economy. Likewise, ambitious engagement in the WTO and its plurilateral initiatives will complement China’s reform agenda and in turn se rve as a catalyst for further liberalization.  
4.176.  China’s investment regime continues to restrict foreign investors from contributing to the 
development of key sectors. We have followed with  interest reforms aimed at liberalizing foreign 
investment, particularly those being piloted in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. While underwhelmed and discouraged by the initial, unambitious Nega tive List on Foreign Investment Access to the 
Zone, we remain hopeful that any revised list will be significantly shorter, and that the relevant 
guidelines and regulations will be released at th e same time to support transparency and provide 
real opportunities for foreign investors.  
4.177.  China’s regulatory process also continues to pose challenges to market access and the 
uninterrupted flow of goods and services, despite impressive efforts to strengthen its regulatory 
regime over the past decade. For example, the current licensing system sometimes requires the 
disclosure of sensitive information or trade secrets, which can put critical intellectual property at 
risk during the approval process. Canadian compan ies often come across technical requirements in 
China that diverge from international standards,  or add unnecessary steps, as in the case of 
China’s ICT and telecom device certification requirements. Exacerbating these barriers to trade is 
the continued restriction of foreign business participation in standard-setting work in certain areas. 
To realise the benefits of trade liberalization, we encourage China to increase its efforts to align with international standards and ensure broader involvement from interested stakeholders, in 
China and abroad, in its standardization plans.  
4.178.  With regard to reforms that will create a more level playing field, we note that Chinese 
state-owned enterprises tend to benefit from lower cost of, and better access to, capital than non-
public-sector enterprises. This has not only created disincentives to foreign companies looking to 
invest in China, it has also created overcapacity in certain industries, leading to distortions in global trade. We welcome China’s commitment to subject its state-owned enterprises to greater competition and tighter regulation, and note China’s progress in reducing the influence of 
state-owned enterprises in the economy. Neve rtheless, Canada believes further progress is 
needed, and encourages China to continue it s efforts to further liberalize this sector. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.179.  Finally, we are also concerned with the lack of transparency in important areas of China’s 
economic and trade regime. The often vague or insufficient information available publicly, as well as the inconsistencies in policy interpretation and implementation at the local level, create significant delays and costs for foreign companies. On the institutional side, the Secretariat report 
points to numerous examples where required in formation was not provided for the Trade Policy 
Review and to WTO committees. In particular, the absence of information precluded the Secretariat from properly assessing China’s economic support measures. An effective multilateral 
trading system relies on transparency to foster trust and openness among its Members. We believe 
that these transparency exercises are fundamenta lly important, and hope that China will make 
every effort to fulfil its notification obliga tions in a more timely and complete manner. 
4.180.  As China explores new ways to sustain its economic growth, it needs to resist 
implementing measures that could inadvertently encourage domestic protectionism and undermine 
the gains of actively participating in the multilateral trading system, such as giving Chinese companies easier access to government credit, and preferential treatment when it comes to 
licensing, approvals, public contracts, tax benefi ts and lower land costs. We strongly encourage 
China to be a constructive and ambitious influence on global trade and investment liberalization. 
4.181.  In this regard, we look forward to Ch ina’s revised WTO Government Procurement 
Agreement accession market access offer and hope that it will reflect a significant improvement 
from China’s previous offers. By acceding to  the GPA, China would benefit from increased 
transparency of procurement practices, enhanced investor confidence, and improved access to the 
GPA parties’ procurement markets. We also look forward to continuing to work with China in the 
Information Technology Agreement expansion negotiations. As the world’s largest net exporter 
and producer of IT products, we hope that China can show leadership and demonstrate a high level of ambition to help steer the ITA expansion negotiations to a successful conclusion in the 
near term. In addition, Canada hopes that China will bring a high level of ambition to the 
Environmental Goods negotiations and will see this initiative as a key contributor to achieving its goals of combating pollution and protecting the environment.  
4.182.  In closing, we take note of the effort that China has made over the last two years to 
implement its WTO commitments and remain encouraged by its determination to continue along the path of liberalization. We have always maintained that a robust, rules-based trading system is vital to the current and future prosperity of all trading nations and, as a global economic power, 
China has an indisputable role to play. 
PERU 4.183.  As other Members have said this morning, our delegation welcomes China's strong overall 
economic performance during the period under re view. The country's economy grew 7.7% in 2012 
and 2013 as a result of, inter alia , the implementation of an active fiscal policy that also kept the 
inflation spike under control. The increase in urban employment, residents' income and fiscal 
revenue should also be noted. 
4.184.  With respect to trade structure, it should  be emphasized that manufactured goods still 
constitute the bulk of exports, accounting for more  than 90% of all exports, and that China is still 
a major recipient of foreign direct investment, having received over US$117 billion in 2013. 
4.185.  There are still significant hurdles for China on the road ahead, such as how to industrialize 
more quickly and how to strike a better balance between the public and the private sector. According to the Secretariat report, "State participation in the economy remains relatively high, 
as the public sector controls some 40% of fixed-asset investment and accounts for some 
two thirds of total exports". Finally, there is room to improve the frequency of and information 
contained in the notifications that China submits to the WTO. 
4.186.  With respect to the bilateral relationship between Peru and China, the first official links 
date back to 1849, when Chinese legal migrants first arrived in Peru. On 26 June 1874, the Friendship, Commerce and Navigation Agreement be tween Peru and China was signed in Tientsin 
and governed bilateral relations for many decade s. Peru and the People's Republic of China 
established diplomatic relations through the joint communiqué of 2 November 1971. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.187.  Peruvian-Chinese bilateral relations are primarily defined by three factors that both 
countries have identified and articulated over the past 15 years: 
 Strategic economic convergence as a result of Peru's geographical position as a bridge 
between North-Eastern Asia, the South American mainland and the Atlantic Ocean, 
through bi-oceanic corridors. 
 Peru's aim to develop a wider sub-regional market. 
 The historical ties between the two countries. 
4.188.  At the bilateral level, China is Peru's main trading partner. Attention is drawn to the vast 
expansion in bilateral trade, which was worth US$7.632 billion in 2008 and reached US$15.711 billion in 2013. In other words, in just six years, it grew 106%, reflecting the important ties and economic interests shared by the two countries, which have been consolidated in a free 
trade agreement that entered into force on 1 March 2010 and benefits Peru's main export products 
(cuttlefish and squid, fresh grapes, avocados, mangos , barley, paprika, tara gum, yarn of fine hair, 
etc.). This is part of the process of rapprochement in Peru's relations with Asia. For Peru, this free 
trade agreement affords an opportunity to lay down clear ground rules with a transparent, 
predictable framework to allow structured bilate ral trade, which, understandably, safeguards 
national interests. Moreover, it sends a positive signal that will inspire capital providers from China 
and other countries to invest more actively in Peru. No doubt, there is much room for Peruvian 
exports to China, especially those from the non-traditional sector (i.e. those with value added), to grow. 
4.189.  Capital goods and construction materials were consistently at the forefront of imports from 
China between 2008 and 2013, accounting for 46% of those imports. Attention is also drawn to 
Chinese investments in Peru, which exceeded US$15 billion in the mining sector alone, and which are covered by the Agreement on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments and the 
chapter on investments in the Peru-China FTA. 
4.190.  At the multilateral level, Peru and China belong to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
(APEC) forum and, at the WTO, we share interests in the G-20 and G-33. With respect to 
intellectual property, we are both sponsors of do cument TN/C/W/52, a proposal for "modalities" in 
the negotiations on geographical indications and "disclosure" of the origin of genetic resources and/or the associated traditional knowledge in the patent system. 
INDIA 
4.191.  At the outset, India would like to commend China's remarkable pace of economic growth 
and development. Even during the downturn, China maintained a healthy growth rate, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the worl d today. In India, China's growth story is a 
continuing theme of interest. As economic partners  as well as neighbouring countries, we have a 
mutual stake in each other's progress and prosperity and we continue to learn from each other. 
4.192.  China and India are also partners under the BRICS framework and are working together on 
a variety of issues such as global governance and sustainable development. 
4.193.  India's trade with China has expanded very significantly during the decade and were 
actively engaged in developing and diversifying our trade relationship further. India and China 
have a comprehensive institutional mechanism for addressing trade issues, including industry, 
financial services, aviation, banking, customs cooperation, etc. 
4.194.  Today, China is India's largest trading partner with a bilateral trade in goods amounting 
US$65.88 billion during April 2013-March 2014. This includes India's exports to China worth 
US$14.83 billion and imports from China worth US$51.05 billion, resulting in a negative trade 
balance in goods of more than US$36 billion. The growing deficit needs to be addressed in order to sustain the rapidly growing bilateral trade relations. In this context, I would like to mention that 
certain long pending market access issues relating to India on bovine meat and fruits and 
vegetables need to be resolved at the earliest. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.195.  Finally, let me congratulate China for its commitment to sustain a high growth rate despite 
several impediments. 
BRUNEI  ON BEHALF  OF ASEAN 
4.196.  Since China's last review, her economy has grown substantively with a yearly growth of 
7.7% of real GDP. ASEAN notes that even though this percentage is lower than the growth rates 
during the last review, it represents the stable growth of the country's economy particularly with 
year-on-year increases on total import and exports between China and ASEAN totalling up to over 
US$400 billion. ASEAN is the fourth-largest destination for China's outward investment and is 
China's third largest source of foreign direct investment. 
4.197.  China remains to be ASEAN's number one trading partner accounting for 13% of total 
ASEAN trade, maintaining its very important economic and regional role in ASEAN. As we have 
mentioned at the last review of China, the trade and economic ties between ASEAN and China 
have continued to grow, since the signing of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation in 2002, leading to the establishment of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 
in 2010 where almost 97% of products classified by ASEAN-6 (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, 
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) and China in the Normal Track have been eliminated, and other members of ASEAN are scheduled to fully implement the ACFTA on 
1 January 2015. 
4.198.  At the 16
th ASEAN-China Summit held in October 2013, leaders welcomed the initiative for 
an upgraded ACFTA, which hopes to improve overall market access conditions and trade balance between both sides. We have also committed to negotiate the RCEP (the Regional Comprehensive 
Economic Partnership) Agreement among ASEAN and its Plus-6 (Australia, China, India, Japan, 
Korea and New Zealand) which aims to further facilitate the expansion of regional trade and investment. 
4.199.  ASEAN notes the challenges that China faced in this period of review, and its initiatives in 
addressing these by improving its business en vironment through changes, such as pushing 
forward market oriented reforms, promoting libera lization, and unifying its laws and regulations on 
domestic and foreign investments. 
4.200.  ASEAN is happy that China remains, despite the difficulties and challenges, an active 
participant in the multilateral trading system and has been supportive of the need to push forward 
with the DDA negotiations while promoting the de velopment of a "balanced, general preferential 
and win-win" multilateral trading system and firmly opposing trade and investment protectionism. 
4.201.  ASEAN would particularly like to thank Ambassador YU Jianhua and his delegation for their 
tireless efforts and constructive engagement with delegations, including individual ASEAN 
members, here in Geneva. 
4.202.  Some of us in ASEAN have submitted writte n questions to China's delegation and would 
like to thank them in advance for their written responses. 
4.203.  In conclusion, on behalf of ASEAN countries, we would like to express our appreciation for 
China's continued and constructive partnership. 
AUSTRALIA 4.204.  The Australia-China economic and trade relationship continues to strengthen with China 
now firmly entrenched as our largest trading partner. Total two-way trade reached A$151 billion in 
2013; this is just over one-fifth of our total tr ade and has grown by 15% per year in trend terms 
over the last five years.   
4.205.  Strong economic complementarity underpins this relationship: China continues to supply 
Australia with a wide range of competitively-priced manufactures, while Australia remains a safe and reliable source of minerals and energy to fuel China’s strong growth and development.  
Australia’s iron ore and coal exports will remain vital to realize China’s urbanisation potential. 
Australia’s farm produce will continue to meet growing Chinese demand for high-quality food and WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  China is Australia’s largest market for foreign students and second-largest inbound tourism market 
by arrivals.  
4.206.  Investment ties are also growing strongly. Chinese investment in Australia has expanded 
significantly from a low base; total inbound investment from China increased by 41% to 
A$32 billion in the year to 2013. China is now Australia’s sixth-largest source of foreign direct 
investment, reaching A$21 billion in 2013. Australian investment in China in 2013 totalled A$30 billion, of which FDI was worth A$6 billion, making China our equal 12th-largest FDI 
destination. 
4.207.  In addition to growing trade and investment  ties, expanding high-level exchanges and 
dialogue are building mutual understanding and trust. Regular meetings between China’s Commerce Minister and our Minister for Trade and Investment, as well as between the Chairman 
of China’s National Development and Reform Commission and our Treasurer and Minister for Trade 
and Investment, provide a valuable opportunity to share information on bilateral trade, investment and economic issues. 
4.208.  2014 represents a pivotal year in the bilateral relationship. Australia’s Prime Minister made 
a landmark visit to China in April, leading Australia’s largest ever business delegation and laying the foundation for even stronger economic ties. Our Prime Minister will visit China again in 
November for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. Also, in November, Australia will host the 
G-20 and will warmly welcome Xi Jinping’s first visit to Australia as Chinese President. Both countries are firmly committed to working toge ther to achieve free trade and investment. 
4.209.  Australia recognizes that China’s profile in the global economy continues to rise and gives 
China an influential role among WTO Members. Australia encourages China to make a contribution 
to the multilateral trading system commensurate with its economic weight. We look forward to working together closely to develop a WTO post-Bali work plan by the end of 2014. 
4.210.  In Australia’s G-20 Presidency year, we highly value China’s support for Australia’s G-20 
trade agenda, including our critical focus on open  trade for strong and sustained economic growth. 
Australia welcomes the positive role China has played as this year’s Host of APEC, which includes 
its promotion of a Ministerial-level statement in support of the WTO, in particular, the WTO 
Agreement on Trade Facilitation. China has also developed a strategic blueprint for global value chains and led work in APEC to take concrete steps towards realising a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific. 
4.211.  Negotiations to conclude a bilateral Free Trade Agreement with China have intensified this 
year and are now entering the final stage. Aust ralia welcomes the enduring mutual benefits 
conclusion of the FTA would provide. Any final agreement will need to be comprehensive, 
high-quality and fully compliant with WTO rules an d disciplines. We also look forward to working 
closely with China to achieve a comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. 
4.212.  We welcome the Resolution Concerning Some Major Issues In Comprehensively Deepening 
Reform, approved at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in November 2013. This is a majo r, complex programme and will take some time 
to implement. We are strongly encouraged by Ch ina’s efforts to further reform and open up the 
Chinese economy, boost domestic consumption and facilitate the participation of small- and 
medium-sized enterprises in the economy. 
4.213.  Australia sees further opportunities to widen and diversify our trade and investment 
relationship with China, particularly in agriculture and services. Improved market access for 
services providers remains an area of particular interest to Australia.   
4.214.  We note the call in the Third Plenum for the establishment of fair, open and transparent 
market rules and punishment of anti-competitive behaviour. We look forward to information from 
China on reforms taken or planned to strengthen market competition and address anti-competitive behaviour, including in relation to the role of state-owned enterprises in the economy. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.215.  Despite recent progress, investment in China remains highly regulated. Foreign investors 
face barriers such as restrictions on foreign equity, business scope limitations and other forms of regulation, which place them at a considerable disadvantage relative to domestic investors. Moreover, differences between regulations at the national, provincial and local levels and a lack of 
transparency in enforcement create a difficult investment and business environment for foreign 
and domestic investors alike. Australia encourages China to reform its trade and investment rules, including towards greater regulation on a national treatment basis and reducing contradictions and 
ambiguity between policy measures at different levels.  
4.216.  Australia particularly welcomes the creation of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone 
(CSPFTZ) and its role in facilitating trade, investment and financial services reform. We are optimistic it may provide a model for broader reforms and encourage China to consider additional 
services liberalization measures in the CSPFTZ. 
4.217.  Australia notes there has been little change in China’s tariff structure since the last review 
and advocates that China streamlines its tariff structure or undertakes further tariff reform. As 
subsidies are trade distorting, we would appreciate information on the level of any subsidies 
provided to firms. 
4.218.  Finally, we would like to again take the opportunity to express our appreciation to China 
for its efforts to implement its WTO accession commitments, and the significant progress it has 
made since the last review. We encourage China to continue to reform and liberalize its trade and investment environment to deal with the restrictions that remain. 
BRAZIL 
4.219.  Brazil is pleased to participate in the Fifth Tr ade Policy Review of China, a valued partner 
with which we celebrate this year the 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations in 1974. We have covered an impressive path since then. 
4.220.  Despite international and domestic challenges, China continues to contribute to the 
recovery of the global economy and has ushered in a new period of significant change, actively promoting economic reforms towards more domestic consumption and investment, including 
incentives to employment, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and measures to improve income 
distribution and expand social security coverage. In the same vein, the continued reform of the exchange rate system has positive impacts on the real economy. 
4.221.  The reforms recently announced by President Xi Jinping have generated great expectations 
regarding China's further economic and trade op enness. Brazil wishes China every success along 
this path. 
4.222.  Brazil commends China for its commitment to the multilateral trading system and to the 
successful conclusion of the DDA. We recognize its engaged participation in the outcomes achieved 
at MC9 and remain keen to further cooperate with it in the negotiations of the Post-Bali Work Programme. Our countries coincide that the Work Programme must be balanced in terms of 
ambition and prioritize the development dime nsion, in line with the Doha mandate. 
4.223.  China is Brazil's largest trading partner, accounting for 17.3% of our trade in 2013. 
Between 2009 and 2013, bilateral trade has gr own from US$37 billion to US$83 billion, an 
increase of over 125%. Our exports to China grew by 119% while imports increased by 134%. 
Since 2008, Brazil has had a surplus in the bilatera l trade that stood at US$8.7 billion last year. 
4.224.  Our bilateral exchanges, however, continue to follow an asymmetric pattern, in which 
Brazilian exports are concentrated on a small set of commodities - iron ore, soybeans, crude oil, 
sugar and pulp, whereas imports from China consist largely of a wide range of industrial goods. 
This pattern has given rise to concern, and Brazil sees room for further efforts towards a more balanced trade structure that will explore syne rgies and competitive advantages in our two 
economies, including through bilateral investments. 
4.225.  Occasional trade differences, a normal phenomenon in an intense commercial and 
economic relationship, have not prevented our countries from exploring and strengthening WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  institutional mechanisms for cooperation and dialogue. Brazil and China are working ever more 
closely to continue to stimulate two-way trad e while adopting measures aimed at further 
diversifying it. 
4.226.  We will be honoured to host President Xi Jinping for a bilateral visit this July, following the 
Sixth BRICS Summit to be held in Fortaleza, Brazil, another demonstration of the growing 
cooperation that our countries have conducted in international fora, such as the BRICS, the G20, and here in the WTO. 
4.227.  The dynamism of the bilateral relationship can also be verified in the field of investments. 
After an initial stage when Chinese investments in Brazil were concentrated in the area of agricultural and mineral commodities, now companies from China are expanding into a broader range of manufacturing and services industries, ranging from telecommunications and electricity 
transmission and distribution equipment to oil and gas and infrastructure, including ports and 
railways. In 2012-2013, thirty-one Chinese investme nt projects were reported to have taken place 
in Brazil, amounting to US$8.43 billion. Brazil now ranks as the fourth main destination of Chinese 
foreign investment in the world. 
4.228.  Brazilian investments also have a presence in China in industries such as aircraft, mining, 
food processing, engines, car parts, pulp and pa per, among others. They play a role in helping 
increase productivity and employment and in stre ngthening the bonds that link our two countries. 
4.229.  Brazil has submitted a broad set of detailed qu estions regarding a wide array of issues of 
our interest, ranging from economic environment and regimes, to intellectual property, as well as trade policies and procedures in the area of agri culture and TBT, among others. Brazil appreciates 
the effort by China to answer them in written form and will carefully study the information 
provided. 
MALAYSIA 
4.230.  We associate ourselves to the ASEAN statement made by Brunei. 
4.231.  Allow me to begin by congratulating China for its achievement in becoming the world's 
largest trading nation in 2013, maintaining a stable growth of 7.7% during the period under 
review. China has achieved tremendous economic gr owth since its accession to the WTO, and this 
is clear evidence on how Members could benefit from the multilateral trading system. 
4.232.  Malaysia had enjoyed longstanding economic ties with China. Over the years, economic 
relations with China grew stronger, based on historical and cultural people to people links; and 
particularly with both sides investing time and effort, to build close political and business 
exchanges at the highest level. 
4.233.  This year is, in fact ,a significant year for Malaysia and China. 2014 marks the 40
th 
anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries and it is our hope that the excellent 
relations will continue. On this occasion, our Prime Minister made a State visit to China in May 2014 to further strengthen our friendship that was catalysed by the second Prime Minister of 
Malaysia in 1974 who was the father of Prime Minister Najib. 
4.234.  Building upon both countries' commitments that China's relationship with Malaysia was 
very important and should be treated as a high priority, a special committee to be chaired by 
Prime Minister Najib would be set up. This co mmittee will monitor and follow up on actions 
required as a result of Malaysia-China agreements and decisions. This would definitely boost the 
pace and effectiveness of implementation. 
4.235.  On the bilateral front, our trade has been growing exponentially. China was Malaysia's 
largest trading partner in 2013, a position maintained since 2009. Trade with China accounted for 
14.8% of Malaysia's total trade in 2013 which amounted to US$64.42 billion. China was also Malaysia's largest source of imports at US$33.72 bi llion, an increase of 15.7% and second largest 
export destination with export value of US$30.69 billion, a 9.2% increase from 2012. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.236.  For the period January-March 2014, bilate ral trade with China increased 8.7% at 
US$14.74 billion compared to US$14.52 billion for the same corresponding period in 2013. 
4.237.  There are more than 280 companies with Chinese interests operating in the manufacturing 
sector in Malaysia with some of these companies having also established regional operations in 
Malaysia. 
4.238.  Malaysian investments in China amounted to some US$786.68 million for the period 
2008-2013, mainly in manufacturing, financial and insurance, and Takaful activities, mining and 
quarrying, real estate activities, construction, information and communication, among others. 
4.239.  On our bilateral cooperation, one example that is ongoing is the development of the 
China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (QIP) and the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP). 
4.240.  A five-year Programme for Economic and Trade Cooperation has been developed and it 
covers a range of areas including the agriculture and manufacturing industry, infrastructure, energy and mineral resources, the Halal industry , and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 
In services, cooperation initiatives are in ICT, tourism, logistics and the retail sector. 
4.241.  Economic cooperation has also been established at the provincial level, one example being 
the Special Committee on Economic Cooperation between Malaysia and Guangdong to encourage 
trade and investment between the two sides. 
4.242.  Malaysia is committed to attracting more Chinese investments and to become the 
preferred destination for Chinese companies to expand businesses in ASEAN and the region. 
THAILAND 
4.243.  Thailand fully associates itself with the ASEAN statement previously delivered by the 
Ambassador of Brunei. 
4.244.  Thailand and China hold a close relationship in all aspects of trade historically. China is 
currently Thailand’s second largest trading partner, being our biggest export destination and 
second import source. On the other hand, Thailand is China’s thirteenth ranked trading partner, seventeenth export destination, and thirteenth import supplier. In 2013, our trade value reached 
US$64.9 billion with a growth rate of 1.5%. In th e same year, China was Thailand’s ninth ranked 
investor with a total investment of US$430 million. 
4.245.  Our bilateral trade and economic ties cover, among others, the Thailand-China Joint 
Committee on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation which is a cooperation mechanism 
between us at the level of Deputy Prime Minister. To date, two meetings have been held. Thailand 
and China also established a Five-Year Development Plan on Trade and Economic Cooperation for the years 2012-2016, which was signed during the offi cial visit of the Prime Minister of Thailand to 
China in April 2013. The Plan covers 14 areas of cooperation, such as trade and investment 
facilitation, green innovation and technology, academic cooperation, intellectual property, SMEs, energy, agriculture, particular industries, infrastructure, mining, information technology, tourism, 
logistics, and finance. Under the Five-Year Development Plan, Thailand and China also signed 
several memorandums of understanding, including on agricultural trade cooperation and other 
areas of competition law and policies, trademark and geographical indication registrations, and exchange of trade-related information.  
4.246.  Echoing the ASEAN’s statement, Thailand appreciates China’s important role as ASEAN’s 
largest trading partner. ASEAN trade with China an d Thailand’s bilateral trade with China under the 
ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement have increased during the past years, with Thailand’s share in 
the ASEAN-China trade levels accounting for around 10%. During the years 2012-2015, Thailand is 
a country coordinator for the ASEAN-China FTA, and we have seen a continuously growing and fruitful cooperation between China and our region . We hope to see both bilateral and regional 
trade growth continue to expand and our relationship develop. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.247.  From the multilateral trade perspective, Thailand is impressed with China’s economic 
performance during the review period with its stable growth of 7.7% annually. As also noted in the Secretariat report, China has become the world’s largest trader, continued to be a large recipient of foreign direct investment, and has concluded 12 FTAs with over 20 States and regions. These 
facts confirm China’s importance to the global ec onomy, and there is a keen interest in China’s 
trade policies.  
4.248.  Thailand appreciates China’s active role in the WTO and DDA negotiations, and welcomes 
China’s implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement by early notification on Category A 
commitments yesterday. In the months ahead, in establishing the Work Programme under the mandate of the Bali Ministerial Conference, Thai land encourages China, as a key player, to 
continue its leading and cooperative role, along with other Members, in order for the Organization 
to achieve a meaningful and agreeable outcome. 
4.249.  In this review, Thailand submitted several questions to China as we have an interest in 
China’s current policies and measures on, among others, agricultural support programmes, 
intellectual property, and investment. For exam ple, our questions concern China’s policies for 
farmers under the 12th Five-Year Plan, which calls for an increase in grain production and price 
stability, and the implementations of several IP campaigns such as voluntary monitoring of video 
websites and advocating for the application of copyrighted software. We are looking forward to 
receiving and studying China’s response with great interest. 
4.250.  In closing, Thailand would like to express its appreciation to the delegation of the People’s 
Republic of China for today’s presentation and th eir response to our questions. We very much 
appreciate the continuous cooperation of Ambassador Yu Jianhua and his officers with the Thai 
Mission and the strong bilateral, ASEAN-China, and multilateral relationships 
INDONESIA 
4.251.  We are pleased to be here today for participating in The Trade Policy Review of China with 
the largest ASEAN’s trading partners. China ha s been working closely with ASEAN and still 
continues to make greater contributions for the development of ASEAN. Regarding this matter, 
Indonesia would like to associate itself with the statement made by Brunei Darussalam on behalf 
of ASEAN. 
4.252.  In light of the Trade Policy Review which we are commencing today, we note with positivity 
that China has performed well on its open trade regime. Indonesia commends the stable growth of 
Chinese economy during the period under review. This has contributed to the recovery and 
development of world economy. Despite the complex challenges, China has managed to accomplish the huge task of securing a stable development of its national economy.  
4.253.  China has shown its positive results in opening up its economy while deepening its 
domestic reform comprehensively. Indeed, China has been picturing a new type of open economy 
which accelerates its liberalization process to build new advantages in international competition. 
Indonesia also commends the stronger role of China in promoting trade and investment 
liberalization through regional, sub-regional and bilateral cooperation. 
4.254.  We also appreciate China’s contribution in the WTO forum. We believe that China has a 
strong commitment to give its best effort to make “Post Bali” agenda successful.   
4.255.  In this opportunity, please allow me to share how both Governments have been engaging a 
mutual trade relationship. Indonesia and China are important trading partners to each other. The 
Governments and the Peoples of both countries have long maintained strong and friendly bilateral 
relations. 
4.256.  Trade balance between China and Indonesia has b een growing significantly in the past four 
years. Indonesia’s trade with China increased by 20% to US$52.4 billion in 2013; from 
US$36.1 billion in 2010. In the entire year of 2013, the total trade value of both countries reached 
US$52.4 billion, with Indonesia’s export to Ch ina reached US$22.6 billion while imports was 
US$29.8 billion. These figures reflect the strong  economic ties between both countries.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.257.  Although China is Indonesia’s number one trading partner for export and import, China’s 
investment in Indonesia was relatively small compared to other countries, reaching only 
US$297 million. In 2013, China is ranked on the 12t h position in regard to incoming FDI to 
Indonesia, positioned after Chinese Taipei and Ho ng Kong, China. Therefore, we encourage China 
to increase cooperation with Indonesia as agreed in the Agreement on Cooperation signed on 
April 2010 in Indonesia.  
4.258.  Besides the strong and positive economic ties between Indonesia and China that both 
countries have been achieved during the last decade, we still find some trade and trade related 
barriers that become Indonesia’s concerns. We believe that through this Trade Policy Review those issues can be addressed. We have submitted a number of questions related to our concerns on 
China’s trade policies and practices. We hope that the response provided by China will meet with 
our concerns.  
ECUADOR 4.259.  As stated in the Secretariat report, China has become the world's largest trader. Its 
economy seems to have recovered from the effects of the global crisis and showed steady growth 
in 2012 and 2013. The driving force behind this gr owth has been strong domestic demand, which 
helps to reduce its economy's vulnerability to external shocks. 
4.260.  China's exports and imports have also increased considerably during the period under 
review. China's leadership in trade in goods is undeniable, while achieving similar growth in services seemed to be one of its economy's goals for the future. 
4.261.  Since its last review, China has not substantially changed its tariff regime. As a result, 
tariffs continue to be higher for agricultural products, a sector that is of particular interest to 
developing countries like Ecuador. We would appreciate additional information on the procedures for establishing standards, technical regulations and SPS measures at the provincial level. 
4.262.  Ecuador is also interested in China's foreign investment regime, which encourages the 
establishment of joint ventures, particularly in the area of R&D and its uses in strategic sectors. Such policies help generate domestic capacities and foster the development of certain economic 
sectors. 
4.263.  China and Ecuador have traditionally enjoyed excellent relations, which have been 
strengthened in recent years, making China a st rategic partner for Ecuador. Funding from China 
has provided the means to proceed with infrastructural works that will make it possible to change 
Ecuador's production pattern. 
4.264.  Bilateral trade between the two countries is significant, exceeding US$2 billion in 2013. A 
marked trade imbalance is nevertheless apparent, even though there have been certain 
improvements in Ecuadorian exports, especially with respect to non-petroleum products, over the 
past two years. We accordingly reiterate Ecuador's interest in exploring mechanisms that will allow us to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by access to the Chinese market. 
BENIN 
4.265.  We all recognize that the People's Republic of China has experienced impressive economic 
and commercial development in recent decades. 
4.266.  The thorough review of the documentation prov i d e d  a s  p a rt  of  t h e  w o r k  o f  t h i s  s e s s i o n  
shows that since its last trade policy review in  2012, China has firmly maintained an economic 
openness with ambitious domestic reforms, especially through strategic programmes entitled "Silk Road Economic Belt" and "Maritime Silk Road", which are initiatives aimed at opening up inland 
and border areas to the outside world. 
4.267.  China has continued to strengthen its economic and trade relations with foreign countries 
and activities within the multilateral trading system, which is a special forum and tool for trade and 
investment liberalization. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.268.  To achieve this objective, administrative reforms have been carried out in order to speed 
up the transformation of government functions, streamline administration and relax business registration procedures, and to simplify customs procedures. This has led to an increase in the number of small and medium sized enterprises whose activities have benefited from several other 
actions and initiatives aimed at reforming State owned enterprises and developing the private 
sector. 
4.269.  We also welcome the reforms in the fiscal and taxation systems and in finance, with the 
liberalization of interest rates and consolidation of the mechanism for determining the market 
based exchange rate, as well as the initiatives to strengthen the social security system. 
4.270.  In terms of benefits, the Chinese Government's  efforts have provided China with stable 
economic and trade development over the last two years, with GDP showing steady growth on the 
whole in 2012 and 2013. 
4.271.  In terms of macroeconomic indicators, attention is drawn to the proactive policy pursued 
by the Chinese Government, which kept the fiscal deficit under 2.1% in 2012 and 2013. 
4.272.  In 2012 and 2013, total merchandise imports and exports were up 6.2% and 7.6%, 
respectively. 
4.273.  Furthermore, foreign direct investment steadily increased so that China still ranked second 
worldwide in terms of attracting global FDI.  China's outbound FDI expanded in scope and 
experienced a strong upward trend. 
4.274.  As the factory of the world and the driving forc e behind global economic growth, China is a 
key player in international trade and a major partner in our concerted efforts here at the WTO to 
conclude the Doha Round trade negotiations and effectively include the development dimension in 
the outcomes of the negotiations. 
4.275.  The delegation of Benin welcomes China's active contribution to the work of the WTO, 
including its assistance in strengthening the prod uction and export capacities of the LDCs, the 
African cotton producing and exporting countries, and the countries that co-sponsored the Sectoral Initiative on Cotton. 
4.276.  We encourage China to keep moving in this direction. 
TRINIDAD
 AND  TOBAGO 
4.277.  Trinidad and Tobago and China enjoy a longstanding diplomatic relationship which spans 
over three decades. This relationship entered a ne w phase in February this year with the opening 
of the Embassy of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in Beijing. Our diplomatic presence in 
Beijing will no doubt strengthen the bond between our two economies, particularly in relation to bilateral investment. 
4.278.  T h i s  m o r n i n g ,  i n  s p e a k i n g  t o  t h e  s t e a d y  g r o w t h  o f  C h i n a ’ s  o u t b o u n d  F o r e i g n  D i r e c t  
Investment (FDI), Minister Wang highlighted China’s commitment to South-South Cooperation. Trinidad and Tobago can attest to this commitment, having benefitted from a number of economic 
and technical cooperation initiatives with the Government of China. I take advantage of this 
opportunity to refer to one of these initiatives: Trinidad and Tobago is currently working with the Government of China in relation to the developm ent and management of six industrial parks and 
economic zones across Trinidad and Tobago.   
4.279.  In speaking to South-South cooperation, my delegation also wishes to acknowledge and 
commend China’s contribution to the WTO Aid for Trade Initiative. As the WTO Membership is aware, aid for trade is of crucial importance to developing countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, 
as we seek to further integrate into the global trading system.   
4.280.  In its report for this Trade Policy Review, the Government of China stated that without 
transformation and upgrading, it will not be able to achieve sustained economic growth. It is with 
this in mind that my delegation took note of Minister WANG’s remarks this morning in which he WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  highlighted his Government’s initiatives aimed at reforming and enhancing China’s fiscal, 
administrative and financial systems to achieve its economic goals.   
4.281.  In terms of its trade and investment regime, my delegation wishes to commend China for 
its efforts at liberalizing its market and we encourage further opening-up. Trinidad and Tobago 
particularly welcomes the priority the Government of China attaches to the liberalization of its 
services sector. A noteworthy initiative in this regard is the establishment of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, a project aimed at liberalizing trade in services, facilitating trade by 
simplifying customs procedure and simplifying inve stment procedures. My delegation looks forward 
to further liberalization both inside and outside the free trade zone. 
4.282.  We also took note of the Government of China’s initiatives aimed at (i) Agricultural Reform 
and Development; (ii) improving the Intellectu al Property Rights protection regulatory 
environment; (iii) enhancing innovation; and (iv)  promoting the growth and development of Small 
and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). 
4.283.  I now wish to touch on the issue of transparency, one of the key principles of the 
multilateral trading system, and in this regard, my delegation joins others in calling for greater 
transparency on China’s part in a number of areas, including with respect to Government support programmes. Trinidad and Tobago posed a few questions to China, including questions touching on 
its notification of government subsidies and we look forward to the responses.   
4.284.  As the world’s second largest economy, China is among the key players in the WTO. My 
delegation wishes to commend China for its commitment to the multilateral trading system and for the leadership it has shown to the advancement and conclusion of the Doha Round Negotiations. 
We look forward to a continuation  of this positive engagement.  
4.285.  In conclusion, my delegation congratulates China on its economic achievements to date 
and in doing so, wishes the delegation a su ccessful outcome to its Trade Policy Review. 
NIGERIA 
4.286.  Nigeria is pleased to note from the Secretariat report that during the period under review 
(2012-14), China's economy had experienced stable  growth, with real GDP expanding by 7.7% 
annually, in both 2012 and 2013, and forecast of 7.5% for 2014. This is in spite of the recent 
economic meltdown. We also note that the driving force behind the growth was strong domestic demand triggered by a policy of fiscal expansion, rising incomes and credit availability as well as 
promotion of consumption expansion through structural tax reduction policy. 
4.287.  Nigeria and China have very cordial and robust bilateral trade and economic relationships 
which have been sustained over the years by the mutuality of interests and the friendship of our 
peoples. The volume of economic activities betw een the two countries is about US$31 billion with 
trade balance in favour of China. Nigeria and China have signed a number of bilateral agreements 
on trade; economic and technical cooperation; scientific and technological cooperation: investment promotion and protection. 
4.288.  To date, China has set up over 30 solely owned companies or joint ventures in Nigeria that 
are actively involved in the construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, services and education sectors of the Nigerian economy. Also, China remains a close ally of Nigeria particularly in the pursuit of Nigeria's Vision 2020. The involvem ent of China in the implementation of the 
Transformation Agenda of Government is appreciated and noticeable in a number of social and 
economic infrastructure development projects  being supported by Chinese aid and grants. 
Nonetheless, Nigeria is concerned about the flooding of its market with substandard, 
pirated/counterfeited products which has adversely affected its domestic industries, especially the 
textile sector where majority of the textile mill s have closed down with several thousands of 
workers laid-off. We note the continued improvement in China's legislative framework and the 
enforcement of IPR protection, including the promotion of innovation as a development strategy. 
4.289.  Nigeria, therefore, would continue to engage bilaterally with China to address the menace 
of export of substandard, counterfeit and pirate d goods to Nigeria taking into account China's 
overall improvements in Intellectual Property Rights. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.290.  In conclusion, Nigeria acknowledges the important role of China as a new engine/shaper of 
the world economy and an active Member of the WTO; shares with China the common objectives of G-20, G-33, and the Coalition on TRIPS Is sues (W52). We look forward to continued 
collaboration as well as constructive and proactiv e engagement with the delegation of China in 
Geneva to ensure early conclusion of the ongoing Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations 
based on its development mandate as we enter the second phase of defining a credible work programme by December 2014 as mandated by the MC9.  
SAUDI
 ARABIA 
4.291.  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commends China for its continued strong economic 
performance during the period under review. China’ s GDP grew by over 7.5% annually during both 
2012 and 2013. We also praise China for its continued "stable growth" strategy that it has 
implemented through an active fiscal policy, pruden t monetary policy, measures to foster domestic 
consumption, and economic reforms aimed at promoting a balanced and sustainable economic development.   
4.292.  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes China’s primary trade policy objective to accelerate 
its opening up to the outside world. The removal of restrictions to facilitate foreign direct investment and initiatives such as the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone also contribute to 
this objective.  
4.293.  Over the last two decades, bilateral trade be tween the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and China 
has increased by over a multiple of 50, from US$1.28 billion in 1990 to US$73.4 billion in 2012. During 2012 alone, Saudi-Chinese trade grew by over 14%. With exports of around 1.1 million 
barrels a day, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is China’s largest supplier of crude oil. In 2013, China 
became Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner. 
4.294.  Bilateral investment has also rapidly increased in recent years. Chinese contractors in the 
construction, communication, oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors are present in the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia. Similarly, Saudi companies have invested in major petrochemical and chemical projects in China. The total value of Chinese investments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is 
estimated at US$18 billion. 
4.295.  While welcoming the reforms undertaken by Chin a over the last two years, the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia would appreciate further simplification of China’s foreign investment regime and wishes to benefit from greater Chinese investment in key sectors of its economy and from 
improved access to the Chinese market.   
4.296.  Despite China’s simplification of customs procedures and certification requirements, 
measures adopted only apply to certain enterprises. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes that the 
extension of pilot programmes to a greater number of traders would improve and facilitate trade 
with China.   
4.297.  Compared to the previous review period, th e number of anti-dumping measures imposed 
by China slightly declined. The great majority of these measures concern chemical and plastic 
products. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia invites China to only impose trade remedy measures where absolutely necessary.  
4.298.  Since joining the WTO in 2001, China has been one of its prominent Members. It plays an 
active role in the strengthening of the multilateral trading system and regularly confirms its 
commitment to the successful conclusion of negotiations within the Doha Development Agenda (DDA).   
4.299.  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia looks forward to continuing to work with China and the rest 
of the Membership on the implementation of the decisions adopted in Doha and the adoption of 
the Work Programme to conclude the DDA. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  SOUTH  AFRICA 
4.300.  Since diplomatic relations were established between our two countries in the nineties, 
China and South Africa have entrenched mutually beneficial relationships across a broad spectrum of areas of economic and political endeavour. South Africa and China have cultivated strong 
synergies with regard to building regional integration on the African continent, via various 
initiatives such as that of the NEPAD. China and South Africa also share a dedicated commitment to infrastructure development in the region.  
4.301.  Under the BRICS umbrella, China and South Africa have strengthened the existing 
synergies between our economies in a mutual ly beneficial manner and are enhancing our 
collaboration in several multilateral fora, including the WTO. China and South Africa share many common perspectives on enhancing South-South cooperation, global economic governance, and a 
commitment to multilateralism, a key deliverable of which is concluding the Doha Development 
round on the basis of its development mandate.  
4.302.  South Africa’s total trade with China has grow n dramatically over the past eleven years, 
reflecting a consistent upwards trajectory. China is a critical trading partner for South Africa in 
Asia, ranking as South Africa’s leading and largest export destination since 2010, as well as our largest source of imports.   
4.303.  South Africa has benefitted from this relationsh ip, exporting primarily resource products to 
China who have provided a major market for the export of these products. Though our export basket in the past has been dominated by commodities and raw materials, we are working together to address imbalances in the composition of trade between our two countries, including 
by increasing the export of enhanced value-added products to the Chinese market.  
4.304.  China is a key investment partner for South Africa and the African continent. In 2008, the 
purchase of a considerable stake in one of South Africa’s largest national banks by China’s 
Industrial and Commercial Bank ranked as South Af rica’s largest single foreign investment. Other 
key inward investment sectors have included  metals, mining, construction, chemicals and 
automotives. We look forward to continued collaboration and renewed investment in key, high 
growth sectors, such as the renewable and solar energy, steel manufacturing, agricultural 
development, agro-processing, automotives, and capital sectors. South African firms too have invested heavily in China in recent years in sectors including consumer products, coal, oil and natural gas, industrial machinery, software and IT services. 
4.305.  China is a principal source of Southern Aid to Africa, recognizing that such initiatives are 
crucial for poverty alleviation efforts and development trajectories on the continent at large. China has also demonstrated its commitment to the plight  of LDCs by the provision of duty free quota 
free market access in the WTO. Since 1 July 2013, duties on 95% of tariff lines have been lowered 
to zero for imports from LDCs that have diplomatic ties with China. 
4.306.  Importantly, China’s experience has demonstrated how a developmental State can strike a 
crucial balance between the role of Government and of the market, in order to simultaneously 
guide and lead the growth and expansion of its productive capacity, developmental strategy and 
assist job creation and poverty reduction policies. South Africa and China have already exchanged technical assistance and experience- sharing initiatives in various sectors of mutual interest to 
producers and exporters, and further similar assi stance will be crucial in the years ahead.  
4.307.  We welcome China’s positive market-related initiatives over the period of the last review, 
both with regard to trade and investment policy refo rm as well as efforts to facilitate flows of FDI, 
and additional liberalization measures undertaken in  the context of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free 
Trade Zone. We continue to encourage further rollout and implementation of these initiatives in the years to come. 
HONDURAS 
4.308.  Since market reforms began in 1978, China has gone from centralized planning to a 
market-based economy underpinned by rapid econom ic and social development. Thanks to a 10% 
annual average rate of GDP growth, more than 500 million people have been lifted out of poverty. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  Moreover, all of the Millennium Development Goals have either been achieved or are being 
pursued. 
4.309.  We are pleased to note in China's Report that the country's economy experienced stable 
growth during the period under review and managed to exceed expectations, with real GDP 
expanding by 7.7% annually, both in 2012 and in  2013. The driving force behind growth has been 
strong domestic demand, triggered by a policy of fiscal expansion, by rising incomes, and access to credit. With a population of 1.3 billion, China has become the world' second largest economy 
and is playing an increasingly important and influential role in the global economy. 
4.310.  We also welcome the fact that the Chinese Government has pressed ahead with and 
expanded the opening up process, while deepening domestic reforms. It aims to build a new type of open economy and is stepping up the pace in order to secure new advantages in international 
competition. 
4.311.  As noted in the Government report, China has now reached such a crucial stage that it will 
not be able to achieve sustained economic growth  unless it transforms and upgrades the economy. 
Its swift economic rise has brought about many challenges, such as rapid urbanization, obstacles 
to environmental sustainability, and inequality. China is also facing demographic pressures on 
account of its aging population and internal migration of labour. 
4.312.  As a result, in December 2012 the Chinese Government drafted the Twelfth Five-Year Plan 
(2011-2015), which tackles these issues head-on. It includes developing services and measures to address environmental and social imbalances, setting goals to reduce pollution, increasing energy efficiency, improving access to education and healthcare and expanding social protection. 
Its target of 7% annual growth shows a desire to focus on the quality of life rather than the pace 
of growth. Likewise, to order to develop the services sector, the Government has laid down the objectives of increasing the services sector's share in the economy, enhancing the quality of 
services, pushing forward the reform and opening up  of the sector, and increasing its capacity to 
create jobs and attract employment. 
4.313.  Currently, China is the largest trading partner of more than 120 countries and regions and 
no doubt has become one of the major driving forces  of world economic growth. At the end of last 
year, the trade balance between Honduras and China amounted to US$204 million. We are confident that trade between Honduras and China will continue to grow in the future. 
CUBA 
4.314.  China has been progressively adapting its policies so as to bring about a gradual and 
equitable rise in the standard of living of its people. Its integration in the global economy has continued to grow in scope and depth. It is increasingly involved in trade and financial flows at the 
global level. It has also managed to effectively tackle the international financial crisis and to 
promote safe and relatively quick economic development. Moreover, it has consolidated its policy of reform and openness in order to revive the market and economic development. 
4.315.  Our economic ties and collaboration with China began in 1960, almost as soon as 
diplomatic relations were established. It should be noted that our economic, trade, financial and other ties have substantially grown over the past few years. 
4.316.  Political relations with China are excellent, und erpinned by an important exchange of visits 
at the highest level. The statements made by our Ministers during the recent visit to Cuba of 
Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi speak to this. China's Foreign Minister described Cuba as a reliable friend, which is a great honour to us. He also said that despite the geographical 
distance, we have always been good friends, pa rtners and associates. Here in Geneva, on the 
other hand, we are very close – roughly five or six metres apart – although today the Chinese have been seated slightly farther away due to their large delegation. 
4.317.  During Mr Wang Yi's visit, our Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez mentioned our excellent 
bilateral relations in cultural, economic, scientific and academic areas and said that they were historical, traditional and based on close friendship and cooperation. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.318.  China has become the leading player both as a trading partner and in terms of the origin 
and diversity of the sources of funding, techno logy, supplies and inputs for Cuba's priority 
programmes. For nine consecutive years, China has been Cuba's second largest trading partner, as the second country of origin of our imports and one of the main destinations of Cuban 
merchandise exports. 
4.319.  We would like to draw attention to our increased cooperation in biotechnology through the 
successful operation of two joint ventures based in China, which may very well increase sales in 
the Chinese market, as well as other ventures that are under way. We would also like to 
underscore China's contribution to human resource training in various fields of interest to Cuba. 
4.320.  We also wish to highlight China's commendable effort to comply with its WTO 
commitments in a firm and resolute manner, which reflects the importance of trade in its 
economy. 
4.321.  The People's Republic of China is an inspiration to many developing countries at the WTO, 
as it defends the multilateral trading system and the needs and interests of our countries. 
4.322.  We are very pleased with our close coop eration with the representatives of the 
Permanent Mission of China in Geneva regarding the DDA. We hope that the positive results of 
China's trade policy will be rewarded with the removal of barriers that make it difficult for its 
products and services to access markets of interest to it on a fair and equitable basis, 
in accordance with its status as a developing country. 
URUGUAY 4.323.  Our country has maintained friendly and constructive relations with China since we 
established diplomatic relations 26 years ago. China's importance to Uruguay has grown 
exponentially over recent years, not only because of China's increased worldwide strategic weight in political and economic terms, but also because of the headway we have made in bilateral 
dialogue at various levels, primarily in the political, cooperation, economic, trade and cultural 
fields. 
4.324.  Other noteworthy aspects are concrete progress in the bilateral agenda, increased trade 
flows, Chinese investment in our country and a very good level of regional and international 
dialogue and coordination between the two countries. 
4.325.  Last year, China became Uruguay's main trading partner for goods, and its share of our 
exports and imports is growing. We have a constr uctive dialogue on sanitary and phytosanitary 
matters that allows us to properly assess and agree on issues in this area. 
4.326.  According to the figures, exports increased by roughly 30% per year over the period 
2011-2013. Our countries have taken advantage of the fact that they are complementary in trade, 
which has grown exponentially in recent years. 
4.327.  Uruguay's exportable supply consists primar ily of soybean, followed by paper pulp, 
bovine meat and wool. It also includes premium beef cuts, dairy products, wines and leather. 
4.328.  Uruguay's imports from China are chiefly manufactured products such as machinery, 
electrical and mechanical equipment, automob iles and automotive parts, plastics, organic 
chemicals, clothing and other industrial goods. 
4.329.  Our ties to China are a priority and of great importance in light of the objectives 
established by Uruguay. We intend to strengthen th ose ties, specifically so as to generate further 
scope for concerted efforts in areas such as infrastructure, the environment, agriculture, science and technology, commercial and software services, logistics and the audiovisual sector. 
4.330.  As a final comment, I would like to emphasize our two countries' interest in joining forces 
to seek a successful conclusion to the Doha Development Round and to strengthen a multilateral trading system that is based on predictable, transparent and balanced rules. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  ZIMBABWE 
4.331.  Our delegation is happy to note with appreciation the progress made by China in all 
spheres of economic operations. China achieved an annual GDP growth rate of 7.7% in 2012 and 
2013. This was driven by a strong domestic demand triggered by a policy of fiscal expansion, 
rising incomes and availability of credit. This growth momentum has also contributed positively to 
global economic growth.  
4.332.  We commend China for becoming the world's largest merchandise trader and for playing a 
major role in the Multilateral Trading System. During the period under review, both exports and 
imports of goods expanded rapidly, with export s totalling US$2.21 trillion and imports amounting 
to US$1.95 trillion in 2013.This is 40% higher than in 2010. Let me congratulate China for achieving this remarkable mark within a relatively short period of about 13 years of participation in 
the multilateral trading system. Thus, China is a growth engine for the global economy, fuelling 
global expansion through high output and trading relationships with other nations. The country’s policies therefore undoubtedly draw interest from the majority of the WTO Membership. 
4.333.  We welcome China’s strategy to implement a new round of economic reforms that have 
brought forth further economic liberalization and have culminated into the new China Pilot Free Trade Zone. 
4.334.  Let me share some brief insights on the bilateral cooperation programmes that exist 
between Zimbabwe and China. 
4.335.  Zimbabwe and China enjoy a long history of cordial relations, both on the economic and 
political fronts. The bilateral engagements remain large and continue to grow. 
4.336.  The emerging economic powerhouse, China, is the central focus of Zimbabwe’s Look East 
Policy which was adopted in early 2000 as an ex port market diversification strategy to 
non-traditional markets such as South East Asia, the Middle East and the Far East. This was 
necessitated by the fact that countries in these regions have expanding, diversified and 
technologically sophisticated industrial bases th at Zimbabwe could tap into, given our quest to 
industrialize, particularly in value-added activities.  
4.337.  China has emerged as Zimbabwe’s major source of imports for machinery and 
manufactured goods in the last decade. It is one of the biggest importer of Zimbabwean tobacco and minerals.  
4.338.  China is our third largest trading partner and trade between Zimbabwe and China has 
surged over the past decade. Total trade stood at US$127.8 million in 2000 and soared to 
US$1.101billion in 2013. However, Zimbabwe’s exports are rising on a slow pace due to the continued export of raw and semi-finished goods.  Zimbabwe is therefore looking upon Chinese 
investment and expertise to re-capacitate and retool its manufacturing sector so as to enhance 
capacity to produce for both the local and export markets.  
4.339.  Zimbabwe is one of the beneficiaries of China’s various trade promotion activities. The 
country has been participating at the annual China International Fairs for Investment and Trade 
(CIFIT) and other trade and investment promotion expositions since 2006. In return, Chinese companies exhibit at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair every year.   
4.340.  In terms of investment, Zimbabwe received FDI worth US$601.70 million in 2013 as 
compared to US$204.64 million in 2012 from China.  The increase shows Chinese confidence in 
Zimbabwe as a viable investment destination.  
4.341.  We greatly appreciate China's support in availing lines of credit to Zimbabwean companies 
and provision of technical assistance and capacity building to a large number of Zimbabwean 
officials. 
4.342.  Chinese investment has increased significantly over the years particularly in the mining 
and agricultural sectors even though Zimbabwe la gs behind other African countries. Some of the 
biggest Chinese investments in Zimbabwe include joint ventures in mining, cotton and cement WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  production, chrome and coal processing, hy dro and solar power generation, tourism and 
infrastructure development .  
4.343.  Zimbabwe is benefitting  from the framework of the Forum for Africa-China Cooperation 
(FOCAC) where China pledged to support infrastructural development in Africa among other areas. 
A total of US$160 million has been allocated to th e upgrading of the international and domestic 
airports in Zimbabwe. 
4.344.  I could go on and on because there is a lot that is happening in terms of bilateral 
cooperation between our two countries. At this juncture, let me to conclude by wishing the Chinese 
delegation a successful and fruitful Trade Policy Review. We look forward to greater economic 
cooperation with China. 
BARBADOS 
4.345.  Since its last review in 2012, the China’s economy has experienced stable economic growth 
assisted mainly by strong domestic demand which was prompted by expansionary fiscal policy, rising incomes and enhanced access to credit. As a result, real GDP growth over the review period 
(2012-14) expanded by 7.7% in 2012 and 2013. 
4.346.  The Secretariat report has revealed that since its last review, China has become the 
world's largest trader (excluding intra-EU trade). This has largely been attributed to the 
considerable increases in China’s imports and exports. In 2013, China’s exports amounted to 
US$2.21 trillion, a 40% increase over its 2010 export figure and imports amounted to US$1.95 trillion, a 39.6% increase over its 2011 import figure. In this regard, my delegation contends that this positive revelation is indicative of the critical part that China continues to play in 
shaping global economic and trading economy and congratulates the Government of China on this 
accomplishment. 
4.347.  We note the establishment of the National Leading Group for Comprehensive Deepening 
Reform which has been charged with developing a strategy to deepen economic reform through, 
among other things, allowing the market to play a more significant role in the allocation of resources, reforming state-owned entities, and en couraging private ownership. We also note the 
establishment of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (CSPFTZ) which is aimed at realizing 
the benefits of investment, trade and financial serv ices reform. In particular, my delegation notes 
the significant efforts that China has undertaken and has planned to undertake to increase its share of inward and outward foreign direct investment. We commend the Government of China on 
its initiatives to foster economic and financial reform and wish them well in the implementation of 
these initiatives.   
4.348.  China continues to exhibit its commitment to the multilateral trading system through its 
participation in the various facets of the WTO work, including particularly, through its support for 
advancing the development interests of LDCs and developing countries including SVEs. We therefore welcome their continued interaction and support in the WTO. 
4.349.  Barbados and China developed bilateral relations in 1977 and China continues to be an 
important partner for Barbados. Through these bilate ral relations, we have been actively engaged 
on a range of issues for further cooperation and th e Government of Barbados looks forward to this 
continuous dialogue with China. 
DOMINICAN
 REPUBLIC 
4.350.  This fifth trade policy review is an opportunity for us to congratulate the 
People's Republic of China for achieving figures which, once again, are impressive, especially in 
light of the global financial and economic crisis. These figures show that during the period under 
review (2012-2014), the Chinese economy experi enced stable growth, with annual real GDP 
expanding by 7.7% in 2012 and 2013, and forecast  at 7.5% for 2014. This growth is driven by 
domestic demand, especially in the private sector, in spite of a moderate fiscal deficit that 
amounted to 1.7% of GDP in 2012 and an es timated 1.9% of GDP in 2013. The level of 
Central Government debt, which was 14.9% of GDP in 2012, and total government debt, which was 39.4% of GDP at year's end 2012, is also mo derate when compared with the figures for the WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  developed countries' economies. We are pleased to note that, according to the WTO Secretariat 
report, China continues to promote private participation in the economy and that the number of private enterprises and industrial and commercial family businesses is on the increase. 
4.351.  We congratulate China and are very interested to see the steps that it has taken toward 
liberalization in the services sector, with the establishment of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free 
Trade Zone (CSPFTZ), which was approved in August 2013. This pilot project to test the subsequent liberalization of trade in services and capital account transactions is meant to facilitate 
trade by simplifying customs procedures and allowing goods to be cleared at the port. China has 
also adopted measures to gradually liberalize the provision of services outside of this Zone, especially in telecommunications, financial services and air transport. 
4.352.  In the area of trade in goods, China has continued implementing trade facilitation 
measures, by launching a series of reforms that include the introduction of paperless customs 
clearance procedures. China's applied MFN tariffs remain very low, at approximately 9.4% on average. 
4.353.  We also appreciate that during the period under review, China began implementing the 
provisions on competition policy that were adopted during the previous review in order to combat monopolistic practices as the economy liberalizes. China also continued to implement measures 
aimed at improving its regulatory environment for the protection of intellectual property rights 
through amendments to legislation, regulations and departmental rules. 
4.354.  We would like to conclude by urging China to continue its process of reforms aimed at 
opening up to trade. 
REPUBLIC
 OF GUINEA   
4.355.  The Republic of Guinea welcomes the progress that China has made since the last review 
of its trade policy in 2012. 
4.356.  For Guinea, this progress bears witness to China's enduring determination to consolidate 
its process of liberalization and implement its WTO commitments. 
4.357.  The Republic of Guinea and China have a longstanding tradition of friendship, cooperation 
and trade, dating back to when my country gained national sovereignty in 1958. Our Governments 
established diplomatic relations in 1959. 
4.358.  The China-Guinea Joint Commission  is the special forum for regulating trade between our 
two countries. Trade relations are governed by a se ries of agreements providing the relevant legal 
framework. 
4.359.  These agreements concern health, agriculture, education, energy, communication and 
information, mining and culture. 
4.360.  The Commission reviews a variety of issues, which include evaluating bilateral trade and 
exchanging information on reforms to foreign trade legislation in either of our countries. 
4.361.  Relations between China and Guinea cover several areas, including trade, investment and 
aid. 
4.362.  China is amongst the Republic of Guinea's main suppliers of manufactures. The volume of 
Guinean imports significantly exceeds that of Guinean exports to China. 
4.363.  As an LDC, we therefore welcome the market access opportunities that China offers our 
countries within the WTO framework and urge China to also afford more flexible rules of origin so 
that we may have concrete access to the Chinese market. 
4.364.  China's FDI flows affect construction and basic infrastructure, including hospitals, 
government-subsidized housing, highways, bridges and roads, as well as hydroelectric dams. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.365.  One of China's greatest achievements in th e Republic of Guinea has been building the 
Kaléta Hydroelectric Dam, with a capacity of 240 MW, which is scheduled to be completed in 2015. 
This dam will allow the Guinean Government to put an end to the energy deficit that it has been facing for many years and will pave the way fo r the Republic of Guinea's industrial base. 
4.366.  As you know, the Republic of Guinea has a weal th of mineral resources, but severely lacks 
the financial resources to create basic infrastructure. 
4.367.  The Guinean and Chinese Governments therefore set up a win-win strategic partnership 
following the 2006 China-Africa Forum. 
4.368.  With regard to aid, China provides financial and material support in areas such as health 
and agriculture. 
4.369.  In Guinea there are also a large number of pr ivate Chinese groups that are involved in 
various spheres of activity, including banking, dist ribution, infrastructure, mining and air transport, 
which create jobs in Guinea. 
4.370.  Although the above is encouraging on the whole, trade unfortunately does not reflect the 
vast opportunities afforded by the two countries, as it is not very diversified and remains centred 
on a few traditional products. 
4.371.  The Republic of Guinea therefore invites the People's Republic of China to join it in looking 
at ways and means for greater expansion and diversification of our bilateral economic and trade 
relations in order to bring them up to the level of the political relations that have always prevailed between the two countries. 
4.372.  In light of the above, it goes without saying that boosting economic and trade relations 
between China and Guinea is fully consistent with the efforts to consolidate South-South 
cooperation so as to meet the challenges of globalization. 
4.373.  To conclude, the Republic of Guinea calls on the Members of the WTO to support China in 
its endeavours to liberalize and to implement the commitments it has undertaken in the WTO. 
ISRAEL 4.374.  China is the second largest economy in the world and an important economic partner with 
whom we have been taking steps to enhancing our trade relations. 
4.375.  Israel acknowledges the efforts undertaken by th e Government of China to roll over a host 
of policies in support of a significant economic reform to achieve an ever liberal trading and investment regime in China. 
4.376.  For this exercise, although we have not submitted questions in advance, there are a few 
areas of particular interest where we would be interested in receiving further information from China. We note that most of our concerns have already been raised by other Members during this 
TPR exercise, and for these, we will review China’s replies carefully.  
4.377.  We will however outline briefly some of our concerns hereafter: 
4.378.  We have noted that China's trade and investment policy is managed through a number of 
legal instruments, including Central Government’s Five-Year Plans and sectorial and provincial 
Five-Year Plans among others. As some others have pointed out, we have also found that these often overlap and occasionally even reflect conflicting views. These matters are further 
complicated by the large number of internal administrative measures that are not easily 
identifiable, and are often available only in Chinese language. We believe that improvements in 
these areas would go a long way to increase trade and investment relations with China. 
4.379.  Regarding Customs procedures, we believe that the implementation of the Trade 
Facilitation Agreement will have a positive effect in China’s customs procedures. As for now, 
identifying and interpreting the procedures and regulations set by AQSIQ, local CIQ and other WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  bodies have proven to be a challenge for our companies. Israel would like to know if China intends 
to implement changes to improve the clarit y of these procedures and regulations. 
4.380.  On IPRs, we would like to note the recent establishment of the "National Crackdown on 
intellectual property infringements and faked commodities leading working group" in MOFCOM. We 
would be interested in knowing more about the enforcement and supervisory mechanism. 
4.381.  On standards, we note that the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) under 
AQSIQ continues to administrate the standardizat ion system in China. However, several other 
ministries and governmental bodies have the mandate to set industrial standards and voluntary 
ones, or are involved in the process in other ways. In this regard, we would like to understand better whether SAC holds the sole responsibility of standards in China, or whether other units of the Government have a mandate to de velop standards at various levels. 
4.382.  Our business operators have noted that China's SPS regulatory system is fragmented 
across different Government agencies. Currently, the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), AQSIQ, the State Administrati on for Industry and Commerce (SAIC), MOFCOM, 
and the China Food and Drug Administration (C FDA), among others, are actively involved in 
regulating the SPS regime. This fragmentation of the SPS regulatory system presents a challenge for our exporters to understand and comply with. Some Members have pointed out that this 
fragmentation also poses a challenge in terms of accountability - with food safety implications in 
some cases. 
4.383.  Overall, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of China and the 
Secretariat for their reports, and also the discussant, Ambassador Joakim Reiter, for his valuable 
comments which we will continue to study in furt her detail. Israel once again congratulates and 
wishes China a very successful fifth Trade Policy Review. We are looking forward to continue mutually beneficial and prosperous relations for many years to come.  
NEPAL 
4.384.  Ever since China joined the WTO in December 2001, it has been a staunch supporter of the 
multilateral trading system. China's commitment to implementing its WTO obligations in a 
transparent and time bound manner is commendable. As the largest trader in the present world, 
China has a crucial role to play in strengthening and further promoting the multilateral trading system in the days to come. The delegation of Nepal wishes to extend its appreciation to its 
Chinese counterparts for their active, constructive and solution-oriented engagement at the 
various forums in the WTO. 
4.385.  Both the reports prepared by the Government of China and the WTO Secretariat for this 
review summarize features of major reforms undertaken by the PRC in the field of economic 
management since 2012 when China underwent its fourth Trade Policy Review. The reports reveal 
that following the impacts of the global economic crises, the last two years remained a turbulent period for China to advance its economy in a desired way. However, the proactive fiscal policy, 
coupled with prudent monetary instruments and other structural adjustment measures adopted 
during this period helped China to get back its economy on track from encountering any further derailment. It is worthwhile to note that China continued its reforms and, through adopting prudent policies and further opening up of its mark et, succeeded to secure 7.7% economic growth 
for the last two consecutive years. 
4.386.  As the second largest and strongly emerging economy, policies and practices introduced by 
China exerts enormous influence not only on its domestic market but also in the operation and 
maintenance of global trade. Indeed, China's libe ralization and economic reform endeavours have 
had global effects. In this context, the policy reforms embraced by the country during the period under review are not only consistent with the prin ciples of the multilateral trading system, but also 
prudent, effective and supportive to accelerating economic growth. China's trade-led growth has 
been a matter of great inspiration to developing and LDC members. 
4.387.  It is encouraging to note that during the review period, China's merchandise trade 
continued to grow and its global market share further increased. China's exports accounted for 
11.8% of the global merchandise export in 2013, and the country ranked first in the world for four WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  consecutive years. China's imports amounted to 10.3% of the global total, and ranked second in 
the world for four consecutive years. In 2013, China became the world's largest trading country in goods. It is equally encouraging that since June 2012 China has further opened up its services and 
manufacturing sectors. 
4.388.  During the last two years, China made significant efforts to adjust its economic structure, 
deepen the reform in a comprehensive fashion, and push forward proactively a new round of opening up. It managed to accomplish challengin g task of securing a stable development of 
national economy, and at the same time importan t contributions to the recovery and development 
of the world economy. For this, it deserves special appreciation. 
4.389.  China has always remained positive on LDCs' issues and concerns in the WTO. It has put 
forth several initiatives targeted to facilitate LDCs' exports. China's DFQF scheme has supported 
LDCs to enhance their export to the Chinese market. "China's LDCs and Accessions Program" 
which was established in 2011 has helped the LDCs effectively participate in and benefit from the multilateral trading system and accelerate the accession process of incoming LDCs. During the 
MC9, China announced to provide further assistance to cotton 4 LDCs from Africa which is a 
welcome matter. 
4.390.  China is Nepal's closest neighbour and we enjoy excellent friendship. We have had age-old 
cultural and trade relations. In the collective pu rsuit of fostering trade and economic relations, 
Nepal and China signed "Trade and Payments Ag reement" in November 1981 and an Agreement 
for regulating trade and related matters between Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region of China in 
July 2002. Further, with a view to promoting bilateral trade and economic cooperation, an 
Agreement on Transportation was signed between Nepal and China in May 1994. 
4.391.  China has been one of the strong supporters of Nepal's development endeavours. It is the 
largest investor in Nepal and its investment is growing over the years in the form of FDI which has 
propelled both industrialization and employme nt generation. Nepal has been one of the 
beneficiaries of China's Preferential Tariff Scheme which the latter offers to the products of all LDCs with whom it has bilateral relations. China has provided zero-tariff entry to 7,787 items for 
Nepal, however, due to supply side constraints the utilization rate is not that much high as 
desired. 
4.392.  China is Nepal's important trading partner occupying 10.5% share in its total trade. It is 
the second largest importing country for Nepal and fourth largest destination market for Nepalese 
export. The trade between Nepal and China both in  terms of value and volume has been growing 
over the years. The strengthened trade relations between the two countries are reflected in increased transaction of goods and services benefitting the peoples living across the border. 
However, widening gap between import and expo rt and consequent trade imbalance on Nepal's 
side is a worrisome matter for it as a small economy. This needs to be mutually corrected in order to make our bilateral trade sustainable in the long run. 
4.393.  Finally, we believe that China would continue and further expand its trade liberalization 
process giving due consideration to LDCs' concerns and interests. Let's hope that the LDCs would have more flexibility in accessing the Chinese market both in trade in goods and services in the future. Besides, we believe that China would accord its full support to implement the LDCs Specific 
Bali outcome and make them binding especially thos e relating to DFQF, preferential rules of origin, 
services waiver and cotton. We also hope China would further enhance its existing technical and financial assistance to all LDCs to build their trade capacity and help them better integrated into 
the multilateral trading system. 
ANTIGUA
 AND  BARBUDA  ON BEHALF  OF THE OECS-WTO  MEMBERS 
4.394.  As the reports and other Members before me have noted, China has continued to grow as 
an economy, as a global trader and investor, thus becoming a key player and influencer within 
regional and global spheres. 
4.395.  We commend the Government of China for its achievements. As China continues to grow, 
emerging as a major economic power, it remains a developing country facing a number of 
challenges which no doubt it will gradually overcome as it continues on its growth trajectory. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.396.  Even though our delegations are among the sm allest and most vulnerable Members of the 
WTO, there is much that we share with China as Members of the WTO and the multilateral trading system. We commend China for the progress that it has made in its efforts to comply with its obligations under the various WTO Agreements. We wish to encourage its continuation on the 
spot.  
4.397.  We would also like to extent gratitude to China for its support shown to one of our 
delegation, Antigua and Barbuda, and its efforts to  obtain satisfactory and meaningful conclusion 
to its ongoing lengthy online gaming dispute within the context of the DSB. 
4.398.  We also share China's commitments to the enforcement and conclusion of the DDA 
negotiations. We commend China for the role it has played thus far in the negotiations, including the support it has shown and demonstrated for the interests and concerns of small and vulnerable 
economies like the OECS. We have and will continue to look to China in collaboration with other 
major players to demonstrate the leadership in bringing the DDA to a successful conclusion.  
4.399.  Aid for trade is very important for our delegations and we note and thank China for its 
commitment and response to the Aid For Trade Initiative. We also commend China for its growing 
role in South-South cooperation, particularly in advocating and participating in international development cooperation and in providing economic and technical assistance.  
4.400.  Our delegations over the years have been beneficiaries of China's generosity and 
assistance both at the bilateral and regional levels, for them we remain very grateful. 
OMAN 4.401.  The Sultanate of Oman enjoys excellent political, economic and trade relations with China. 
The world-famous Maritime Silk Route closely connected the two nations as early as the 6th 
century A.D. Our mutual trade has grown manifolds and China is now one of the major trading partners of Oman. We foresee further expans ion and deepening in our economic and trade 
relations in the coming years. 
4.402.  The delegation of Oman congratulates China on its impressive economic achievements 
despite the many challenges. The GDP growth rate of China has been more than 7% in the past 
three years and is forecast to remain above 7% in the current year. The rate of inflation has 
slowed in recent years and is estimated to be below 5%. The level of savings and investment are close to 50% of GDP. These figures attest to the remarkable success of China’s economic policy.   
4.403.  We are happy to note that China has become the largest trader in the world with its trade, 
exports and imports, at more than US$4 trillion. It has also become a magnet for foreign direct 
investment which reached US$117 billion in 2013. 
4.404.  We note with satisfaction that China’s average applied MFN tariff rate was 9.4% in 2013, 
with the rate for non-agricultural products at 8.6%. 
4.405.  The delegation of Oman highly appreciates Chin a’s resolve to firmly appose protectionism, 
and to develop its economic and trade relations wi th various countries based on the principle of 
mutual benefit. We commend China for its support to the leading role of the WTO and its backing 
for the successful conclusion of Doha Round negotiations. 
GUATEMALA 4.406.  Guatemala congratulates China on its economic performance and its annual GDP growth of 
over 7%. 
4.407.  It also congratulates China on the measures that have reduced the 
consumption-savings-investment gap to 2.8%, thus striking a better balance. 
4.408.  Recent years have seen an increase in China's exports and imports. China has worked on 
removing restrictions in order to attract FDI and further develop the sector. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  4.409.  The implementation of structural reforms to promote private participation in the economy 
has led to an increase in the number of private and family-run businesses. 
4.410.  We welcome the progress China has made on enforcing intellectual property rights by 
amending the Trademarks Law, which entered into force in May of this year. 
4.411.  We also welcome its trade policy reforms to create a united market system that is open to 
competition, which will be very important to the country's development and economy. 
4.412.  To conclude, Guatemala wishes China every success with this review and in the application 
of its economic and trade policies, so that it may continue to garner favourable results that will 
boost its economic growth. 
ZAMBIA 4.413.  China’s Trade Policy Review provides important lessons of success in the implementation of 
trade policies in the context of the multilateral tr ading system. More specifically, the development, 
in an all- round way, its foreign economic and trade relations, the recognition of the central role of the multilateral trading system in trade and investment liberalization and support for mutually 
enforced development and cooperation through bilateral, regional and sub-regional and 
multilateral channels.  
4.414.  My delegation would like to thank the delegation of the People's Republic of China for steps 
taken in facilitating market access to least developed countries and wishes to call upon the 
People's Republic of China to continue improving the terms of its preferential scheme by not only taking into account products of export interest to LDCs and but also reforming the rules of origin accompanying such schemes in order to facilitate real market access. 
4.415.  Zambia welcomes China’s commitment to continue being a staunch player in promoting 
economic globalization, undertaking trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, formulating international rules, safeguarding common interests of the international communities 
and building a harmonious world. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  5  REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF  CHINA AND ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 
5.1.  Before I respond to the questions and comments made by Members in the first session of the 
review, I wish to say a few words on our work regarding written questions from Members. 
5.2.  We received some more questions in the last two days and we thank Members for their 
interest in China's trade policies and regime. Alto gether there are more than 1,700 questions from 
31 Members. While my team has made their utmost efforts to submit answers to more than 1,400 questions including those coming after 17 June, there may be a few left unanswered in the 
lists submitted before 17 June either because more consultations are needed or because the 
translation from Spanish needs a double-check. I hope Members could understand our heavy workload and difficulties we are facing. For thos e unanswered questions and other follow-up ones, 
I promise you that we will provide response within one month after today's meeting. 
5.3.  At the meeting on 1 July, Members and our distinguished discussant Ambassador Reiter, 
presented constructive views and comments on China's economic and trade policy development since the last review. On behalf of the Delegation of China, I would like to thank Members and 
Ambassador Reiter for their very valuable contributions. 
5.4.  Now, I would like to make responses and clarifications with regard to certain issues and 
concerns raised by Members in the first session. 
5.5.  With regard to the relationship between the Government and the market, the new Chinese 
leadership has made decision to comprehensively deepen the reform. This includes reducing Government interventions in the market. In my statement two days ago, I said that China has abolished and delegated a large number of items previously subject to administrative examination 
and approval. This is a specific step that China has taken to reduce Government interventions in 
the market. At present, China's labour cost is completely determined by the market, land use rights are transferred through auctions, and lending rates are no longer under regulation. As the 
reform moves forward, deposit interest rates will also be further liberalized. The market has 
already played a decisive role for the prices of factors of production including capital, labour and land.  
5.6.  Regarding development plans and industrial poli cies as well as SOEs, the plans and policies 
are blueprints for economic, social and indust rial development. They map out development 
targets, serve as guiding principles, and treat a ll entities in an open, fair and equitable manner 
regardless of the ownership. There are no supports or subsidies specifically for SOEs in these plans 
and policies. As early as the 1990s, the Government of China abolished specific subsidies for SOEs 
through the reform of fiscal and taxation system . The differences in the credit lines and lending 
rates are not the result of special policies for the SOEs. Rather, they are independent business 
decisions by commercial banks based on their own ev aluation of risks. The Secretariat report at 
one point mentioned that SOEs account for two thirds  of China's total export. This figure has been 
quoted for several times. However, this figure is wrong. The share of SOEs in China's total import 
and export has declined from 21% in 2011 to 18% in 2013. I express my regret over the 
misunderstanding caused by this figure. 
5.7.  As regards whether or not SOEs are exempt from the Antitrust Law, I would like to give you 
an example. In 2011, China National Develo pment and Reform Commission launched an 
investigation into China Telecom, a large SOE, for refusing a business deal with China Tietong in a 
disguised form through overcharging. Investigation was also conducted on the price discrimination imposed on Internet Service Providers by the internet infrastructure network providers in China — 
China Telecom and China Unicom, two very large SOEs. As suggested in the result of the 
investigation, the failure of these two SOEs to fulfil interconnection obligation has led to the lack of market competition. By the end of 2011, the two SOEs, namely both China Telecom and China 
Unicom had submitted applications to suspend the investigation, and promised to make 
rectifications of their business behaviours. At the moment, assessment is being held on whether these two companies have fully fulfilled their commitments, and whether relevant rectification measures adopted by them have eliminated the consequences of suspected monopolistic conduct. 
This case has demonstrated that the enforcement of China's Antitrust Law is non-discriminatory 
against ownership. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  5.8.  Regarding subsidy notification, China submitte d in 2012 the subsidy notification for 2005 to 
2008. We are now working on the notification for following years. Since subsidies involve many 
government agencies at various levels, it is a huge amount of work to collect information, sort out the relationship between different policies, and do analysis against the SCM Agreement. It is 
therefore fair to say that subsidy notification is the most challenging task for China in fulfilling its 
WTO notification obligations. However, China will not take it as an excuse for refusing the notification obligation. We will step up efforts domestically so that the third subsidy notification will 
be provided as early as we can. The same is true of the domestic support notification under the 
Agriculture Agreement. We are now working on techni cal issues such as data accuracy verification 
and will make all efforts to submit it at an early date. 
5.9.  In respect of further opening-up of the Chinese market, based on the decision to 
comprehensively deepen the reform adopted at the 3rd Plenum of the 18th CPC Central 
Committee, the Government of China is making relentless efforts in further opening up key services sectors and relaxing access restrictions on foreign investment. 
5.10.  In service sectors to be specific, in early 2014 the Government of China issued the 
Regulations on Administration of Foreign Invest ment in Road Transport, delegating project 
approval authority to competent transport departments at the provincial level. A Notice on 
Carrying out Pilot Project for Wholly Foreign-Owned Hospitals will also be issued soon. In this 
respect, pilot projects will be launched in seven provinces and municipalities including Beijing and Shanghai. Furthermore, China is studying how to further relax market access restrictions on value-added telecommunication services related to e-commerce in a wider area and gradually 
remove the cap on foreign equity share. 
5.11.  In terms of investment, China is vigorously pressing ahead with the reform of foreign 
investment regime by narrowing the verification scope and delegating verification authority. The 
China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone is exploring a new foreign investment regime based on the 
approach of pre-establishment national treatment pl us negative list. Such an approach will also be 
introduced to the Bilateral Investment Treaties being negotiated at the moment between China 
and the US and between China and the EU. Just  two days ago, the Special Administrative 
Measures for Foreign Investment Access (Negative List 2014) in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone was published. The number of special administrative measures has been reduced by 
26.8%. 
5.12.  The China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone is exploring new approaches and accumulating 
new experiences for comprehensively deepening re form and further opening up, and endeavouring 
to form a replicable model. Relevant experiences of the Pilot Free Trade Zone as well as the 
specific measures that have been proven effectiv e will be rolled out nationwide at appropriate 
time. 
5.13.  Furthermore, the Government of China has co me up with the strategies of "Silk Road 
Economic Belt" and "Maritime Silk Road", to promot e the opening up of inland and border areas as 
well as balanced development among different regions. 
5.14.  As regards the unified release and translation of laws, regulations and other measures, the 
China Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Gazette is edited and published by the Ministry of 
Commerce (MOFCOM). The Government of China designated the Gazette as the official publication 
to collect laws, regulations, rules and other measures in relation to or affecting trade in goods, trade in services, trade-related IPR or foreign exchange regulation. Between 2002 and 2014, 
altogether 923 editions of Gazette have been published, containing 5266 documents (including 
196 drafts soliciting public opinions). 
5.15.  At present, the institutional arrangements have been set up for the translation of laws, 
regulations and other measures, and relevant work  is moving ahead step by step. The English 
Edition of the Laws of the People's Republic of China is published by the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress on a regular basis, while the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council promulgates periodically the Laws and regulations of the People's 
Republic of China governing foreign-related matters in both Chinese and English. On 
24 February 2003, the General Office of the Stat e Council issued the Notice on Enhancing the 
Verification of Official English Translation of Administrative Regulations, requiring government WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  agencies at all levels to enhance efforts in the verification of official English translation of 
administrative regulations based on the requirement in the notice. 
5.16.  We have taken note of opinions and sugg estions from Members, and will strive for 
improving the work relating to the Gazette and translation of laws and regulations according to 
China's Accession Protocol in order to enhance transparency of trade policies.  
5.17.  With respect to the alleged use of trade remedy in a retaliatory manner, we found this 
concern form certain WTO Members to be unwarranted. Up to now, all the anti-dumping and 
countervailing investigations have been initiated on the basis of duly substantiated claims by the 
petitioners. Like other WTO Members, China's investigation authority is under the obligation to accept petitions that contain sufficient prima facie evidence and carries out the investigations in accordance with its own domestic legislation and WTO rules.  
5.18.  China has been a prudent and restrained user of trade remedy measures. According to the 
statistics of the WTO, from China's accession to the WTO to the end of 2013, China initiated less than 200 anti-dumping investigations and seven countervailing investigations, while more than 
700 anti-dumping investigations and 76 countervailing investigation were initiated against China in 
the same period of time. If China had indeed used  trade remedy in a retaliatory manner as certain 
Members suggested, China would have much more initiations on AD and CVD ground than what 
we have found from statistics.  
5.19.  On the issue of export administration, I want  to clarify that we indeed maintain some 
measures for some products, but those measures are consistent with the WTO rules. 
5.20.  WTO rules emphasize free trade, and also allow Members to take necessary measures to 
protect exhaustible resources and environment.  
5.21.  Export control on highly po llutive, energy consuming products and exhaustible natural 
resources is part of our effort to protect the environment and achieve sustainable development. 
This policy is both necessary and in compliance with WTO rules.  
5.22.  Regarding harmonization of customs procedures, I would like to point out that Chinese 
customs carry out customs supervision in accordance with the Customs Law and other relevant 
laws and regulations. The legislation and enforcement of customs procedures is unified within in 
the customs area across the country. In practice, a few local customs may have different understandings of the regulations due to diff erent levels of economic development and 
geographical conditions, which may lead to unconformity in enforcement. Enforcement in pilot 
regions and non-pilot regions for the matter of customs clearance reform may also have temporary 
differences. 
5.23.  In order to harmonize and regulate custom s enforcement, we have adopted various 
measures, including the establishment of the mechanism for identifying, settling and feeding back 
unconformity of enforcement. On top of that , the regional harmonization and cooperation 
mechanism for customs enforcement has been put in place, and the customs procedure 
standardization system and administrative interpretation system have been implemented. We have 
also corrected or reduced the deviations in en forcement through administrative review and by 
providing legal training to customs officials. 
5.24.  We will continue our efforts in unifying and re gulating enforcement, and endeavour to create 
a fair, equitable, safe and convenient customs environment for businesses. 
5.25.  With regard to IPR Protection, the Government of China attaches great importance to the 
IPR protection through legislation, law enforcem ent and establishment of a long-term mechanism. 
A series of laws and regulations concerning IPR have been promulgated. The amount of 
compensation for IPR infringements has been raised, so have the penalties for infringements, both administrative and criminal. China's new leadership has retained the National Leading Group on 
the Fight against IPR Infringement and Counterfeiting headed by a vice premier of the State 
Council. The Government is also pushing forward the initiative to incorporate the outcomes of IPR protection against infringements and counterfeits into Government performance evaluation system at different levels. If any WTO Member comes acro ss any cases regarding IPR infringement, please WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  do not hesitate to inform the relevant authorities of China. In addition, I would like to point out 
that China's export products are of high qualit y. Otherwise, China would not have become the 
largest exporter worldwide. However, it is possible that some exporters from China and importers from other Members might collude with each other and trade in products with inferior quality by 
illegal means. The Government of China is ready to maintain close cooperation with importing 
Members and jointly crack down on counterfeits and infringing products. 
5.26.  A few Members pointed out in their statements that China has become the biggest 
merchandise trader and the second largest economy in the world. Therefore, they expect China to 
play a leading role in the multilateral trading system. No. 1 trader and No. 2 economy cannot hide the fact that China is still a developing economy. As Ambassador Reiter mentioned in his statement, I quote, "China still ranks only 101 out of 187 in UNDP's human development index". 
The ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda also rightly pointed out in her statement that despite 
being top player in the world economy, China remains a developing country, still faces daunting tasks in maintaining sustainable economic growth. 
5.27.  Therefore, we will actively participate in th e multilateral trade negotiations and assume 
responsibilities commensurate with our level of development, competitiveness of our industries 
and level of people's income. 
5.28.  Some Members expressed the hope to have more investment from China. While China's 
outbound investment is still at an early stage of development, it has already shown a momentum of rapid growth. In 2013, non-financial outbound  FDI of China totalled US$90 billion, ranking the 
third place in the world. Our investment reached 156 countries and regions, and the developing 
world has been a major destination. In the coming five years it is estimated that China will make a 
total of US$500 billion outward investment.  
5.29.  The Government of China supports Chinese enterprises to invest globally, and hopes host 
countries will reciprocate with sound investment environment and facilitating measures. In this 
context, we welcome Members and developing countries in particular to come to China and launch investment and business promotion activities. In this respect, I would like to recommend to you 
the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), which is held annually in September 
in Xiamen, China. CIFIT is currently China's only international investment promotion event aimed at facilitating cross-border investment. It is also the largest global investment event according to the Union of International Fairs (UFI). Interested  Members may use the platform to advertise your 
investment policies and environment and I believe Chinese enterprises will be interested. Our 
Mission to the WTO will be delighted to provide further information on that fair. 
DISCUSSANT 
5.30.  I sincerely thank Assistant Minister Wang Shouwen for his detailed responses to the very 
broad range of issues raised by Members during th e first day of this review. In fact, looking back, 
as the Chair also concluded on Tuesday, we ha ve had a remarkable robust discussion. To my 
understanding, some 46 delegations took the floor on Tuesday, a vast majority making full use of 
their allocated seven minutes. If not a new record for the TPRB, it surely must be among the most extensive exchanges that have occurred in this important body.  
5.31.  This should probably not come as a surprise.  
5.32.  China is a major player in global trade, just as it is in the multilateral trading system. As 
was also highlighted during the first day of review, China is today one of the most important, if not 
the biggest, trading partner to around 120 countries . Many delegations expressed appreciation for 
the extensive bilateral trade with China, albeit at times with scope for greater balance and 
diversification in the future. Many delegations also  professed to the rapidly expanding collaboration 
with China in areas such as of investment, in frastructure, South-South cooperation, technical 
assistance, training and alike.  
5.33.  But Member's extensive interest in China clearly also stems from its systemic importance. In 
part, as we have heard, this is about the role of China in the WTO, in part it stems from China's role in the global economy.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  5.34.  On the first aspect, China has today a leadership role in WTO and, hence, a particular 
responsibility to maintain and developed the open , predictable and rules-based trading system that 
the WTO embodies. A large number of Members also acknowledge China's many constructive contributions, including for example through its accession commitments, its help in securing a Bali 
deal, its access offered to LDCs' exports and its capaci ty building efforts, as well as, not least, its 
unwavering support for the conclusion of the DDA . Much appreciation was also expressed to 
Ambassador Yu and his team here in Geneva. At the same time, reflecting both that China has 
benefitted massively from its WTO Membership and that it is today the world's largest trader, 
Members' expectations on China in the WTO are logically high – and increasing. Whilst not discarding China's many achievement or its continued internal development challenges, China is expected to ensure "that its contribution is commensurate with its economic weight" as one 
Member put it. In a nutshell, being big will imply being held to high standards. And, from that 
perspective, having listened to Members, more seems to be expected of China in the future.  
5.35.  On the second issue, i.e. China's significant role in the global economy, one Member 
formulated this rather squarely when saying that, and I quote: "a stable and healthy Chinese 
economy is almost synonymous with a healthy global economy". China has also made a critical contribution in this regard, when the world econom y was on the brink of being knocked off its feet. 
China's stable growth helped the world economy reco ver, just as it helped recover global trade. 
The other side of this coin is, of course, that China's actions nowadays have repercussions far beyond its own territory. As one delegation underlined, and I quote: "policies and practices introduced by China exert enormous influence not only on its domestic market, but also in the 
operation and maintenance of global trade". For my own part, this is what I tried to allude to, in 
my introductory remarks, that China today is a "s haper" of the global economy, but also because 
of that China can "beggar-thy-neighbour" and that with size and might follow  new responsibilities.  
5.36.  Because of the systemic importance of the Ch ina and its economy, both for world trade and 
the global economy, it is not surprising that most  delegations, in their interventions, raised the 
new agenda for reforms and opening up, as set out in the Decision at the Third Plenary Session in 
November 2013. Many clearly sought more information about the plans for comprehensively 
deepened reforms and – more generally – sent a strong message of encouragement to the Chinese Government to pursue these reforms, with the necessary rigor, vigilance and timeliness. The general sentiment was well summarized by one Member when saying, and I quote: "This is a 
very clear and positive signal to all of us as trading partners about China's firm commitment to 
improve its trade and investment regimes".  
5.37.  Naturally, many Members also used this opportune occasion to highlight areas of particular 
interests and concerns, including in relation to the recently adopted reform agenda by China. 
Again, it is not for me to make an extensive recapitulation of each and every issue (or irritant), but rather I would like to try to highlight three overarching points, based on what I detected in 
Members' interventions: 
1) Promoting a better business climate; 
2) Improving openness; and  
3) Ensuring a level playing field and competition neutrality. 
5.38.  As regards the business climate, the core issues that seem to come back again and again 
are transparency, predictability and consistency. These issues have been raised, in one form or 
another, in relation to: licensing, registration or approval procedures; standards setting, testing 
and quarantine requirements; regulations affectin g trade and implementation  of regulations; the 
use of catalogues, for example on investments; tax schemes and incentives programmes; intellectual property; customs procedures; judicial enforcement; and more. Perhaps the more good 
news is that many challenges seem to stem from the application of laws, rules and regulations, 
rather than their content as such. The less good news however, it seems to me, is that much remains to be done in this area. With respect to transparency in WTO, calls were also made on China to submit its outstanding notifications in a timely and accurate manner (e.g. subsidies). 
5.39.  With respect to openness, much attention cent ered on services and investments. Services 
liberalization clearly offers significant untapped potential for future Chinese transformation and WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  upgrading. The China (Shanghai) Free Trade Zone also attracted a lot of interest, not least for its 
relative relaxation of restrictions and requirements on foreign investments, as well as it being a stepping-stone for future reforms at a national le vel. In addition, some Members raised concerns 
with respect China's use of antidumping, controls and high taxes on exports, as well as import 
licensing. Similarly, China was encouraged to finalize its accession negotiations to the GPA and, as 
a key exporter, to intensify its efforts to conclude the ongoing ITA negotiations.  
5.40.  With respect to levelling the playing field, Ch ina was commended for its plans, as stated in 
its reform agenda, to let the market play a decisive role in resource allocation. This will probably 
not be easy, as it goes to the heart of the tricky question of the relationship between the State and the market. China has no doubt come a very long way, but I believe it has a long way still to go. For the reforms to be successful, tackling some the current forms of State involvement in the 
economy will be necessary at local, provincial or national levels, be they subsidies, incentives, 
credits, preferential lending conditions, or other support programmes. Such a move could also help in shifting the focus to domestic consumption, as opposed to investment and output, in line with 
the overall macroeconomic objectives of China. And while reforms of SOEs are already foreseen 
under the agenda of the new leadership, considerin g their dominance in certain sectors, China will 
have to redouble their efforts to ensure competition neutrality – de jure and de facto – between 
SOEs and private companies (foreign or local). This is all the more important, in my view, if China 
is to succeed with spurring innovation and its services sectors.   
5.41.  In conclusion, China's achievements to date are many and, in many ways, massive, while it 
also has many daunting challenges remaining. I strongly commend the Chinese delegation, and in 
particular Assistant Minister Wang, for the earnes t way that it has approached this exercise, by 
both laying out what it has done during the period of review and, in an explicit manner, describing where it wants to go next. Specifically, as also underscored by the Chinese Government report, the 
challenges of transformation and modernization faci ng China are significant. But so are the stakes. 
As regards the reform task at hand, one Member encapsulated this nicely in saying that, and I quote: "[t]he overarching challenge now is to end the old ways of seeking growth and bring in the 
new". As for the stakes, as another Member reca lled, China's "successes and failures [with its 
transformation] will be the world's successes and failures".  
5.42.  Everyone understands that the new comprehensive and ambitious reforms and opening-up 
will not happen overnight, that they will not be ea sy and that their results will take some time to 
be realized. Nonetheless, China – for its own sake and for ours – has little choice but to forge 
ahead.  
RUSSIAN
 FEDERATION 
5.43.  We would like first to welcome the delegation of China and to greet the fifth Trade Policy 
Review of the Chinese economy which now, not surprisingly, occupies the leading position in the global trade. We have no doubt that the present TPR will be mutually informative and practically 
useful both for China and for the whole WTO Membership. 
5.44.  Considerable long-standing growth of China at an average annual rate of 7.7% enables us 
to give a positive overall assessment of the economic policies of China including its trade and investment components. We highly appreciate the current economic reforms carried out by Beijing 
aiming at economic growth and further divers ification of the Chinese economy despite the 
complexity and volatility of the external business environment. 
5.45.  We commend the significant role of China in recent WTO Members' achievements, 
materialized in the Bali's "early harvest" package, which, we believe, will help to restore the 
creditability of the Doha Round as well as the multilateral trading system and contribute to the recovery and development of the world economy as a whole. Thus, we are sure that China would 
continue to play an active and positive role in responding to various challenges to global economy 
and trade. 
5.46.  China has been a key player in terms of regional economic cooperation. We witnessed 
successful opening by the Chinese chairmanship of the preparatory round for this year's APEC 
summit and we are ready to work with other APEC member States in order to achieve meaningful 
outcome of the coming meeting. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  5.47.  We attach great importance to promoting cooperation under the BRICS umbrella aiming at 
approaching towards global growth based on our complementarities and respective economic strengths. 
5.48.  We would like to remark that Russia shares with China a fast-growing, strategic, mutually 
beneficial and much interconnected economic partnership. In this context, Russia attaches much 
importance and attention to the trade regime of China and continuous positive efforts of Chinese authorities to be fully in line with the core principles of the MTS such as transparency, 
accountability and non-discrimination. 
5.49.  Nevertheless, we would like to highlight some of Chinese non-tariff measures that, we 
believe, need more attention, in cluding application of the CCC mark requirements (many Chinese 
produced goods continue to be sold without the mark) and duplication of safety certification 
requirements for some types of equipment. In li ght of these aspects, Russia would appreciate 
some additional clarification on China's trade practices in enhancing transparency of its standards and SPS measures. We also expect that certain antidumping measures on Russia goods expiring 
this year will not be extended for a longer period. 
EUROPEAN
 UNION 
5.50.  Let me first express our sincere appreciation to the Chinese delegation for the timely replies 
they have provided to the advance written questions the EU has submitted.  
5.51.  Today, we would like to present some comments and observations on the review so far and 
also briefly present follow-up questions.  
5.52.  Let me start with our comments on some of the main issues:  
5.53.  First of all, the statements we have heard on the first day of this exercise all reflected the 
importance of China to the Members’ economies – as the world’s largest trader, as the largest trading partner for many here, as an ever more important part of the multilateral trading system. 
A number of statements echoed the discussant’s remark that China’s economic weight is now so 
large that its action – or inaction – on trade and economic policy has a direct effect on us all.  
5.54.  Consequently, it is no surprise that many statements called on China to play a role in the 
WTO commensurate with its trade weight and to show leadership in both multilateral and 
plurilateral negotiations. The comments also reflected that the WTO is built on transparency – and that China must lead by example by honouring its transparency and notification obligations. 
5.55.  As regards transparency, the EU continues to insist on a timely implementation of China’s 
commitment under its Accession Protocol to publish in a single official journal all laws, regulations 
and other measures both at central and sub-central le vel, pertaining to or affecting trade in goods, 
services, IPR or foreign exchange control. We ha ve taken note of China’s comments this morning 
and look forward to tangible improvements.  
5.56.  As regards notifications, many Members, includ ing the European Union, highlighted the gaps 
in subsidy notifications and lack of information on other support measures, in particular at 
provincial and local Government level. We would urge China to provide this information as soon as 
possible.  
5.57.  The TPR is after all an exercise in transpar ency, and we call on China to redress the 
concerns so widely shared by the Members on the first day of our meeting, while again taking note 
of the comments by China this morning. As the world’s largest trader, China has the duty to fully 
support the WTO as an institution, and in particular this TPR process, by providing all the documents the Secretariat needs to properly review the trade policies of such an important 
Member.  
5.58.  In keeping with the theme of transparency, it is  in this spirit that we present our follow-up 
questions.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  5.59.  I will not read out the follow-up questions in full here, and would instead like to limit myself 
to mentioning the main issues where the EU seeks additional information: 
 First, we are reiterating request for information on legislation, policy orientations and 
 timelines for reforms where none were provid ed: for example on the investment catalogue 
 and related laws, the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, standardisation, IPR and patents or 
 sustainable development. 
 Second, on agriculture and SPS: we present fo llow-up questions on the rationale for the use 
 of non- ad-valorem  tariffs, transparency as to the coverage of state-trading, transparency in 
 the area of agricultural internal support measures, special product support, temporary  prohibitions and related scientific assessment/conformity to international standards, custom  procedures, proportionality of measures taken to the risk present and minimisation of trade 
 restrictions. 
 Third, on public procurement: questions on national legislation related to China’s GPA 
 accession and value of public procurement contracts. 
 Last but not least, some follow-up question s are also submitted on GIs, aid for trade 
 programmes, sustainable development and investment approval procedures. 
5.60.  As usual, we are submitting our follow-up questions in writing through the Secretariat, and 
we look forward to receiving the replies to thes e questions within one month of the meeting.   
5.61.  Finally, let me again express our appreciation to the whole delegation of China for their 
presence here, their participation in this important exercise and for the contributions presented during this fifth Trade Policy Review of China. 
UNITED
 STATES 
5.62.  Today, we would like to offer a few comments in light of the discussion that took place on 
Tuesday and also explain the concerns that underlie some of our more important follow-up 
questions. 
5.63.  On Tuesday, in its opening remarks, China described many economic reforms that China is 
or will be pursuing. We are supportive of these reforms, particularly the ones announced at the 
Third Plenum in November 2013.   
5.64.  At the same time, we would like to comment on three statements made by China in its 
opening remarks. 
5.65.  First, China stated that it has strengthened IPR protection. While the Secretariat and the 
Government reports both describe extensive efforts by the Chinese authorities to make 
improvements in this area, we would emphasize that an enormous amount of work remains if China is to close significant loopholes in its legal framework and reduce the unacceptably high 
infringement levels in China. 
5.66.  Second, China stated that openness in the se rvices sector has been expanded. While we 
have not seen significant liberalization of China’s services sector since China’s last Trade Policy 
Review, the Secretariat report notes that the new Shanghai Free Trade Zone is "a pilot project to 
test the further liberalization of trade in services ". We look forward to further liberalization, both 
inside and outside the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. 
5.67.  Third, China stated that it has one of the be st track records of implementing WTO rulings. 
China specifically claimed that it has timely complied with all 14 of the final rulings that have gone 
against China to date. 
5.68.  Up until a few years ago, we would have agreed that China had a very good track record in 
complying with adverse WTO rulings. But in recent years, problems have arisen. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  5.69.  In DS413, the China–Electronic Payment Servic es dispute, China agreed to comply by 
31 July 2013, nearly one year ago. China did remove or revise certain WTO-inconsistent measures by that deadline, but at the same time it also imposed a new requirement that continues to block 
foreign suppliers of electronic payment services from China’s market. That is, China imposed a 
new licensing requirement on electronic payment services suppliers, but it did not establish an 
actual process for these suppliers to obtain licenses. We have held extensive discussions with China on this matter, and we hope to see China issue a draft of the required licensing regulations 
for public comment before the U.S.-China Strategi c and Economic Dialogue takes place next week.  
5.70.  In DS414, the dispute involving China’s antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of 
U.S. grain oriented electrical steel, the United States initiated a proceeding under Article 21.5 of the DSU earlier this year challenging China’s redetermination as not in compliance with the panel 
and Appellate Body findings.  
5.71.  In DS363, which involves China’s importation an d distribution restrictions on books, music 
and theatrical films, China acknowledged that it would be unable to comply with the panel and 
Appellate Body findings as they related to films.  To China’s credit, in 2012, China entered into an 
MOU with the United States in which it agreed to other films-related concessions. To date, while the MOU has generated significant benefits for the U.S. film industry, implementation issues have 
persisted in two key areas. We have had extensive discussions with China on these two issues and 
hope that they can be resolved soon. 
5.72.  Turning to our follow-up questions, we note that several of them deal with China’s 
subsidization practices and China’s failure to keep current with its subsidies notification obligations.   
5.73.  As is well-documented by WTO disputes and Members’ anti-subsidy investigations, China 
supports its domestic industries through subsidization. A review of China’s numerous five-year plans strongly suggests, moreover, that this subsidization is widespread and massive.   
5.74.  It is therefore particularly troubling that China remains years behind in its required subsidies 
notifications. In its 12 years of WTO Membership, China has submitted only two notifications under Article 25 of the SCM Agreement, with its last notification covering only 2005 to 2008.   
5.75.  Given these circumstances, the United States asked China in U.S. question 3(b) to explain 
when it will provide its long-overdue subsidies notification. China responded that it will submit its notification "as soon as possible". This is the same response that China has been giving WTO Members for years. In a follow-up question, we have made clear our expectation that China, as the 
largest trader among WTO Members, should be able to provide a date by which it will submit its 
notification – and we would hope that this date is one in the near future. 
5.76.  Another area in which we are asking follow-up questions involves industrial policies like 
China’s use of export duties and export quotas. 
5.77.  The remaining area of emphasis in our follow-up questions is transparency. 
5.78.  Specifically, our follow-up questions seek to identify more clearly the problems that China 
has encountered in trying to implement its important bilateral and WTO commitments relating to 
(1) the translation of trade-related measures into one or more WTO languages; (2) the solicitation of public comments on drafts of trade-relate d measures; and (3) the publication of final 
trade-related measures in China’s official journal. 
5.79.  We believe that both China and its tradin g partners will benefit from China’s full 
implementation of its transparency commitments. 
5.80.  Lastly, in response to China’s statement this morning, let me clarify what we mean by 
retaliatory conduct in the trade remedies context. When a WTO Member tells the United States 
that it will, in the future, initiate a trade remedy investigation against U.S. products if the U.S. authorities issue an unfavourable decision in an ongoing trade remedies investigation, and the 
WTO Member subsequently follows through by initiating the threatened trade remedy investigation 
without sufficient legal or factual support – that is what we consider to be retaliatory conduct.  And, we do not consider it to be appropriate conduct for a WTO Member. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  JAPAN 
5.81.  Japan would like to express our sincere appreciation for the efforts made by the Chinese 
delegation to provide us with informative oral explanations regarding our concerns. We also appreciate the contribution from the discussant, Ambassador Reiter. 
5.82.  Japan has submitted follow-up questions in a written format, regarding drug price control 
and IPR, which include requests for: 
 explanation on the evaluation standards of quality and value of new drugs; 
 further explanation on test data protection, and on the Regulations on the 
Administration of Technology Import and Export; 
 plans for the publication of the guidance for implementation of the patent law; and 
 clarification of compulsory licensing provisions of the Patent Law. 
5.83.  We are looking forward to receiving answers to the questions in due course. 
5.84.  Finally, we hope the views and opinions expressed by Members during this TPR will help 
China to advance its reforms. 
CANADA 
5.85.  We note that Canada has been asking a considerable number of questions raised by 
Members including Canada. We have a few follow-up questions and we will send them in writing to 
the Secretariat after today's meeting. 
5.86.  Canada thanks China for its participat ion in its fifth Trade Policy Review. 
MR WANG
 SHOUWEN   
5.87.  Thank you all for your follow-up comments and questions. As a concluding remark, I have to 
say that we are very pleased to have undergone a thorough discussion with you on the general 
objectives and on the specific aspects of China's economic and trade policies in the last review. 
5.88.  This review comes to a conclusion and I would like to stress my sincere thanks to you all for 
your warm and extensive exchanges in the past two days. 
5.89.  China attaches great importance to the Trade Policy Review Mechanism as it provides a 
precious chance for WTO Members to conduct peer reviews of the economic and trade policies in a 
comprehensive and transparent manner. 
5.90.  We wish that through this Review Members' countries and economies could gain a better 
understanding of the multifaceted and the complex reality in China. More important to me, we would like to make full use of this Mechanism to support our domestically reforms and opening up 
efforts.  
5.91.  We have listened to your comments and questions as well as the messages you have 
conveyed to us. Those comments and questions are constructive and consistent with China's goal 
of significant reforms and opening up. We will st udy the questions you have already submitted to 
us and the follow-up questions you are going to submit to us after the meeting is finished. 
5.92.  We will study these questions when we will get back to Beijing and we will keep close 
consultations with the concerned Members through bilateral and multilateral channels. China firmly 
believes that the multilateral trading system should play the leading role in trade and investment liberalization, and strengthening this system serv es the interests of all Members. Therefore, we 
look forward to working with you all to smoothly implement the whole Bali package, to successfully 
formulate the post-Bali work programme, and to fully conclude the Doha Round towards a 
multilateral trading system that is more balanced and development-oriented. 
5.93.  Let me finally thank all the delegations for their active participation in this Review and thank 
you, Madam Chair, for your excellent steering of this meeting. I also want to thank Ambassador WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  Joakim Reiter for the very good introduction and wish to acknowledge once again the hard work of 
the Secretariat, particularly the staff in the TPR Division for the smooth running of this Review. I also take this opportunity to thank our translators and interpreters for their excellent performance. We look forward to a continued fruitful cooperation with the Secretariat.  WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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  6  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 
6.1.  The fifth Trade Policy Review of China has provided an excellent opportunity to improve our 
understanding of its trade and investment policies. I would like to thank Mr WANG Showmen, Assistant Minister of Commerce and H.E. Ambassador YU Jianhua, Permanent Representative of 
China to the World Trade Organization and the whole delegation for their constructive engagement 
throughout this exercise. I would also like to th ank H.E. Mr Joakim Reiter, Ambassador of Sweden 
to the WTO for his insightful remarks as discussant. China received over 1,700 advance written 
questions, which shows the importance attached by  Members to its trade and investment policies 
and practices. China's written answers to most  of these questions have been welcomed by 
Members who looked forward to answers to additi onal questions, no later than one month after 
this meeting. 
6.2.  Members remarked that during the period under  Review, China had become the major global 
merchandise trader and noted the impact that China's policies had on the world economy and on the functioning of the WTO. Hence, they highligh ted the need for China to recognize the increased 
responsibility that comes with becoming a lead player in the multilateral trading system. They 
commended China for its determination to carry out challenging reforms and emphasized that the current review came at a particularly opportune time as under its new leadership China had 
announced an ambitious and comprehensive reform agenda. In this context, Members sought 
more information on the specifics of the ongoing reforms, including the functioning of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, and on future reforms.  
6.3.  Members noted the role that China's economic growth had played in contributing to world 
economic recovery in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. However, they observed the need 
for rebalancing growth, which had been traditionally nurtured by investment and had heavily relied on directed credit availability. It was noted that  China had already taken some steps to rebalance 
economic growth through policies to promote consumption. Members stated their belief that trade 
and a further liberalization of the domestic market could play an important role in this endeavour. 
In this regard Members outlined a number of ar eas where they thought that improvements could 
be achieved: 
 Transparency:  as the world's largest trader China bore great responsibility for 
supporting a predictable and transparent global trading system. China was encouraged to ensure the effective use of transparency mechanisms within the WTO, 
including ensuring that its notification obligations are fulfilled in a timely way. 
Members noted that although China had committed to publish in a single official journal all laws, regulations and other measures related to or affecting trade in goods, 
services, IPR or foreign exchange, both at the central and sub central level, and to 
make them available in a WTO language, this had not been effectively accomplished. Members urged China to address this shortcoming by making information regarding 
trade-related measures available. This would be beneficial to all as it would lead to 
increased trade and investment. 
 Consistency in implementation of laws, regulations and policies:  Members 
understood the difficulties that China faced in ensuring the consistent implementation 
of laws, regulations and policies in such a vast country. It was noted that 
implementation inconsistencies affected business directly with and within China, compounding the often-reported problems of predictability and transparency. 
Members stated that addressing these issues was of the utmost importance, both to 
improve the operating environment of business – domestic and foreign alike – and to limit the risk of discretionary treatment.  
 Role of the State:  Members noted that the State still had an active role in China's 
economic development and that China continued to pursue policies to support domestic industries including those controlled  by state-owned enterprises. They stated 
that on occasions this had led to overcapa city and excessive credit expansion. In 
Members' view, given China's size and impo rtance, Government intervention affected 
the allocation of resources and competitive conditions of companies in and outside China. WT/TPR/M/300 • China 
 
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   TBT and SPS:  Members expressed concern with respect to the use of technical 
requirements that diverged from international standards and the insufficient involvement of interested stakeholders in the standardization process. Regarding SPS measures Members questioned their scientific justification in certain instances, and 
requested China to make further efforts to increase transparency and predictability in 
this area.  
 Other concerns raised by Members included China's support policies; the use of export 
restraints and export taxes; restrictions on services market access; the retaliatory use 
of trade remedies; enforcement of IPRs; the protection of trade secrets; and restrictions to foreign investors in certain areas. 
6.4.  Members commended China for their leadership in submitting its notification of Category A 
provisions under the new Trade Facilitation Agreement and in opening its market to products from 
LDCs. Members urged China to make further efforts to conclude the negotiations to expand the Information Technology Agreement and to become  a member of the GPA. Members trusted that 
China would continue to positively contribute to the adoption of the post Bali work programme. 
China as a global economic power had an indisputable role to play in maintaining a rules-based trading system which is vital to the current and future prosperity of trading nations.  
6.5.  The participation of over 50 delegations in th is meeting and the large number of questions 
posed during this Trade Policy Review indicate th e clear importance of China as a trading partner. 
In this respect, I would wish to emphasize that it is essential for the system that China abides by its WTO commitments including that of transparency. This, in turn, would allow China to continue 
reaping the benefits of economic liberalization in a rules-based multilateral framework. Members 
believed that it is crucially important that China continues to pursue trade liberalization and economic reform despite the challenges that could arise and pledged to support China so that clear 
improvements could be achieved in the specific areas mentioned, in the questions posed and in the 
discussions held during these two days. 
6.6.  In closing, I would like to thank Assistant Minister WANG Shouwen and the rest of the 
Chinese delegation, all the other delegations, the discussant and the Secretariat for this very 
successful fifth review of the trade policies of China. 
__________