White Paper on China and WTO: China to advance higher-level reform and opening-up

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01:56

China has released a White Paper detailing its contributions to the World Trade Organization. It states that China faithfully fulfilled its WTO accession commitments and firmly supports the multilateral trading system. A briefing on the White Paper was held in Beijing this morning.

This year marks the 17th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization. Over the past 17 years, China has been through rapid development and has made comprehensive progress by promoting reform and opening-up.

HONG XIAODONG, DIRECTOR-GENERAL DEPARTMENT FOR WTO AFFAIRS, MOFCOM "In 2001, as a new member of the WTO, we were a follower of international rules. And now we have grown to be a participator, and also, an upholder and contributor in the system."

Since acceding to the WTO, China has contributed about 30% to world economic growth. The country has substantively reduced import tariffs, lowered non-tariff barriers, and liberalized the right to trade.

DIEGO RAMIRO GUELAR ARGENTINIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHINA "It's very clear that imports are growing as double as the exports in China. That means China is increasing its opening market as a great opportunity to the world and to its partners."

Fulfilling China's WTO commitments has never been the end point of its opening-up. The White Paper states that China will substantially widen market access for foreign investment and regulate outward investment.

ELIZABETH PEAK, MINISTER-COUNSELLOR AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY IN CHINA "We certainly welcome these moves to continue opening China's economy. It's beneficial to China's and the world's economy."

As is put in the White Paper, China commits itself to opening up wider and deeper, to promote common development across the world and to achieve greater mutual benefit. Li Jianhua, CGTN, Beijing.