WTO reform should keep developing members in mind

WTO reform should benefit all members and protect the interest of developing members, China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said at the 12th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Chinanews.com reported on Monday.

Wang added reform should promote economic globalization and promote the development of economic globalization in the direction of more openness, inclusiveness, universal benefit and balance through the updating of rules and mechanism guarantees.

China would like to work with all parties to promote the MC12 to achieve results in the fields of epidemic response and food security, and help the WTO play a greater role in the recovery of the world economy, he said, noting the country is an important contributor to international anti-epidemic cooperation and has provided more than 2.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations.

China supports the early WTO consensus on intellectual property exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines and is willing to make contributions to this end, Wang added.

The fundamentals of China's economy — strong resilience, ample potential and long-term improvement — have not changed, and the country is accelerating the construction of a new development pattern and unswervingly promoting high-level opening up, which will surely bring more market, growth and cooperation opportunities to the world.

The conference is being co-hosted by the WTO and Kazakhstan and being held in Geneva from June 12 to 15. Ministers and representatives of 164 WTO members attended the meeting in-person.