By Olivia Le Poidevin
GENEVA (Reuters) -China will not change its developing country status, but it will forgo asking for Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) in future negotiations at the World Trade Organization, a senior delegate to the Chinese mission to the WTO in Geneva said.
The U.S. opposes countries picking and choosing SDT benefits, and had wanted China to completely renounce them.
China’s decision on Tuesday to forgo the benefits it receives from its developing country status at the WTO showed its “commitment to supporting the multilateral trading system,” Li Yihong, Chargee d’Affaires, permanent mission of China to the WTO, told reporters on Wednesday.
“This does not involve any change to China’s status as a developing country and in the WTO as a developing member, whether within the WTO framework or in any other context,” she said.
“China remains a key member of global south and will always be a developing country,” she added.
China’s Premier Li Qiang announced on Tuesday that his country will no longer seek access to SDT in current and new WTO agreements during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Some major economies, including China and Saudi Arabia, self-identify as developing countries, granting them access to SDT benefits such as setting higher tariffs and using subsidies.
The Chinese charge d’affaires said the decision would inject “positive energy” into advancing current discussions on reforming the world trade governing body.
Previously, Washington had argued there could be no meaningful WTO reform until China and other major economies relinquish the SDT granted to developing countries, which the U.S. says give them an unfair advantage.
(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, Editing by Miranda Murray)
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