China supports reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO) so that the organization can play a bigger role in promoting openness and development and enhance the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system, said Chinese President Xi Jinping during the opening ceremony of the 2nd China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai on Tuesday. 

Xi said China is willing to conclude high-standard free trade agreements (FTAs) with more countries, promote the early signing and entry of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and accelerate the negotiation progress for the China-Europe investment agreement, the China-Japan-South Korea FTA and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) FTA.

"China is an advocate of international cooperation and a supporter of multilateralism," he said.

Xi also said China will actively participate in cooperation with the United Nations, G20, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, BRICS – a group of emerging economies also comprising Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa – and other institutions to move the economic globalization forward. 

China will hold a WTO mini-ministerial meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Xi said he hopes all parties will be open to exchanging views and make contributions to improve global economic governance.

(Top image via VCG)