On December 17, the WTO reviewed the US’ trade policy for the 14th time in Geneva, Switzerland. This is the first time for the US to accept the trade policy review since the Trump Administration.
Zhang Xiangchen, representative of the Permanent Mission of China to the World Trade Organization and special ambassador plenipotentiary, spoke first among the members of the delegation. He criticized the US for pursuing unilateralism and protectionist trade policies in the past two years, and urged the US to earnestly fulfill its responsibilities and faithfully fulfill its obligations to the multilateral trading system.
The WTO members paid high attention to this trade policy review on the US. At the meeting of the first day, 40 members have submitted more than 1,700 written questions to the US, and 64 members have raised concerns for the US on it policy and measures such as obstructing the selection of members of the WTO Appellate Body and raising tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles in the name of “national security”, and demanded that the US participate in the multilateral trading system in a constructive manner and play an active role.
The review is still ongoing and the meeting will continue on December 19.
