Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), on Friday to discuss the current global economic and trade situation, follow-up work related to the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), and issues related to WTO reform. 

Wang said China firmly upholds the multilateral trading system, defends the basic principles of the World Trade Organization such as most-favored-nation treatment, and supports the WTO in playing a more important role in improving global economic governance and stabilizing the international trade order.

Going forward, WTO members should focus on reaching consensus on outstanding issues, including the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, Wang said. 

Okonjo-Iweala commended China for its consistent and firm support for the multilateral trading system and for making important contributions to achieving pragmatic outcomes at the MC14.

She also expressed hope that, as the host of APEC 2026, China will help Asia-Pacific economies build consensus and send a positive signal in support of the multilateral trading system and stronger international economic and trade cooperation.