Item 4. Updated LDC Elements – Communication from the Gambia on behalf of the LDC Group (WT/GC/W/1003)

Thank you, Chair, for giving me the floor.

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to outgoing colleagues for their contribution and collaboration. I wish them every success in their new endeavors. I would like to extend my warm welcome to the newly arrived ones. I look forward to working closely with you all in the WTO.

China welcomes the progress made since MC14 on the LDC package and appreciates the constructive engagement.

China supports all the four draft decisions contained in this agenda item.

On smooth transition, China will remain committed to engaging constructively with all Members so that we can achieve meaningful progress and report agreed outcomes as soon as possible.

On MC13 follow-up, China supports the ongoing works in the relevant bodies on decisions taken in favor of LDCs, and encourages more tangible progress in various areas in support of LDCs’ integration into the multilateral trading system.

Thank you.

Item 5. Report by the Chairperson of the Trade Negotiations Committee and Director-General

First, China thanks the DG as TNC chair for the comprehensive report and we also thank the chairs of the NGR and COASS for their organization of discussions and consultations.

On fishery subsidies, China supports the NGR Chair’s efforts to advance the negotiations and will engage constructively in the Fish Week.

On agriculture, the recent COASS meeting has demonstrated that a vast majority of members continue to attach great importance to agriculture negotiation. There have been positive signals from the meeting, including the openness to exploring new ideas for purpose of “trust building”. China will continue to engage constructively.

Item 6. Follow-Up to Outcomes of Ministerial Conferences: MC14 (Yaoundé); MC13 (Abu Dhabi); MC12 (Geneva, co-hosted by Kazakhstan); MC11 (Buenos Aires); MC10 (Nairobi); and MC9 (Bali) – Statement by the Chairperson

Thank you chair. 

First. China would like to thank the GC Chair for the comprehensive report, especially the follow-up of MC14. For the remaining issues of the Yaoundé package, where consensus is very close, we support continued and constructive engagement among members with a view to landing an outcome as soon as possible.

On E-commerce. China is in favor of a multilateral consensus, providing certainty to global business community with a work program and development elements.

On IFDA. China welcomes new member party to the IFDA and we support the sustained efforts of co-coordinators. We also welcome the initiative to implement the Joint Ministerial Declaration on IFDA with a view to securing its incorporation with continued engagement, and in the meantime, exploring ways for its benefits to be realized within the WTO framework.

China will continue to make contributions to support technical assistance and capacity building activities for members in need.

Thank you.

Item 7. WTO Reform – Statement by the Chairperson

China would like to thank the GC chair for the efforts and the progress made on WTO reform and DSB chair’s consultations since the May GC meeting. We congratulate the facilitators for assuming the important roles and kicking off the consultations.

On process, we welcome the predictability of an indicative calendar and subsequent revisions made to take into account members’ views. We stress the need for a member-driven process that ensures inclusive participation, meaningful exchange, and adequate capital inputs. Discussions should be based on members’ written proposals and oral interventions, instead of outside materials. Guiding questions from the facilitators, if necessary, should avoid prejudging future directions.

On substance, we welcome the reform proposals submitted, both before and after MC14, and China will contribute further in written in due course and engage constructively in reform discussions.

On foundational issues, this track is the least discussed, compared with other three tracks, and therefore should proceed with prudence. The objective of such discussions should be to preserve the foundational principles of the WTO, instead of tweaking it to legitimize inconsistencies.

On level playing field, China is open to discussions on updating rules regarding industrial subsidies to address trade distortion and with due regard to policy space for development. Transparency is an important element to enhance mutual understanding and trust. We caution against introducing outside materials as factual basis for discussions or using concepts prejudicing against members’ development stages, economic system or ownership structure.

For the time limit, I’ll stop here and reserve our comments till subsequent discussions. Thank you. 

[To be included in the GC minutes: On development, discussion should go beyond SDTs, to explore other forward-looking ideas that enable developing members better integrate into the multilateral trading system, including to facilitate developing members harnessing potentials of digital and green transition.

On decision making, China is open to exploring ideas for agile decision-making to foster consensus and deliver results, including through enabling plurilateral outcomes with inclusive and balanced guardrails.]

Item 9. Institutional and Legal Questions Arising from the Interim Arrangements on the Agreement on Electronic Commerce – Request from Pakistan

Item 10. Concerns on the Interim Arrangements of the Agreement on Electronic Commerce – Request from India

Thank you Chair.

We would like to share two points under Item 9 and 10.

First,The ECA was initiated under the WTO framework, and developed in an open and transparent manner. It represents the outcome of years of negotiations among a diverse group of members with the clear objective of incorporating the Agreement into the WTO legal framework. In this context, we think that the Secretariat, upon request, can provide certain support on the ECA pending incorporation after communication with membership, without ambiguity about the current nature of the ECA.

Second, the ECA unlocks immediate economic potential for trade growth and inclusive development.  Digital trade has become a pivotal driver of global economic growth, and ECA offers a timely, predictable and stable legal framework for international e-commerce. By improving confidence in businesses and consumers, the ECA can facilitates the meaningful integration of enterprises, including many from developing members and MSMEs, into the global digital economy. Therefore, members need to find a way to realize the benefit.

Thank you.