The Chinese Commerce Ministry has briefed the World Trade Organization on the country's economic performance and trade policies. Wednesday's briefing was a part of the WTO's trade policy review mechanism. Our reporter Xi Jia has more from Geneva.

A final examination taken by the top four trading entities of the WTO every two years. This time, it's China. On Wednesday, more than 42 members from the WTO raised questions and comments on China's trade policies under the WTO's trade policy review mechanism, also called TPRM. In the first session, the review began with Chinese Deputy Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen's key note speech, briefing on China's economic performance and trade policy. After the speech, members raised questions based on two reports drawn up by the Chinese government and Secretariat of the WTO. China will answer more than 1600 questions on Friday after a day of preparation, and will answer the rest of the 300 questions within a month. Although the trade policy review mechanism is only an exercise of transparency of the member country and it is on a voluntary basis, China still insists on answering all the questions in time.

Officials from the WTO say there is no doubt that China has been a staunch defender of a multilateral trading system. They say China also carries out free trade policy as its basic economic policy in building an open world economy.

XI JIA GENEVA, SWITZERLAND "Several participants tell me that China has not only abided by WTO rules over the past 17 years, but that the country is a great contributor to the world economy, as well as a staunch defender of the WTO trade system. Xi Jia, CGTN, Geneva, Switzerland."