China has made great efforts in safeguarding the effective operation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism and has been properly handling trade disputes with other WTO members, according to a white paper released Thursday.
The white paper, "China and the World Trade Organization," released by the State Council Information Office, aims to give a full account of China's fulfillment of its WTO commitments, to explain China's principles, stances, policies, and propositions regarding the multilateral trading system, and to describe China's vision and actions in advancing higher-level reform and opening-up.
"The WTO dispute settlement mechanism has played a vital role in maintaining the predictability of international trade and the stability of the multilateral trading system," says the white paper.
"China supports WTO members to solve their trade disputes within the WTO dispute settlement mechanism," it says.
By April 2018, China had brought 17 disputes to the WTO, of which 8 had been concluded. Meanwhile, China had been complained against in 27 disputes, of which 23 had been concluded, according to the white paper.
By lodging complaints in the WTO, China redressed other members' violation of obligations under the covered agreements, and defended its own trade interests as well as the authority of WTO rules.
China also actively defended the cases against it, respected the WTO rulings, and made adjustments to its measures according to WTO rules. Up to now, none of the complainants has requested for retaliation against China, says the white paper.
