Coping global economic challenges cannot be separated from the multilateral trading system

Xinhua News Agency, Geneva, June 15th (International Observation) In response to global economic challenges, it is inseparable from the multilateral trading system

Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Junxia Xu Chi

The 12th Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization opened in Geneva, Switzerland on the 12th. Four days of the session, the Ministers of the WTO were negotiated intensively and strived to reach an agreement on multiple important issues, including epidemic response, food security, fishery subsidies and World trade Organize reforms, etc. Observer believes that responding to global economic challenges cannot be separated from the multilateral trading system.

There are progress in negotiations and challenges

As of the 13th, members of the WTO reached a certain consensus on the issue of the new crown vaccine intellectual property exemption under the issue of the epidemic response, but it has not reached an agreement on whether the intellectual property rights of relevant drugs and testing reagents are included in the exemption scope. India insists on vaccine, medicines, and reagents. At the same time, it should be exempted from intellectual property, and the United Kingdom should take the lead in opposing Indian proposals. On the same day, each member also negotiated the problem of shortage of food, but because India, Egypt, and Sri Lanka did not support it, the conference could not reach two specific documents.

Beginning on the 14th, this meeting negotiated on issues such as fishery subsidies, agricultural and WTO reforms. Fishery subsidy negotiations are expected to make a certain degree of breakthroughs, but some of the specific matters of the negotiations still need to be compromised. For example, the draft negotiations provided by the WTO to some developing countries for a 7 -year subsidy transition period, but India requires a 25 -year transition period.

According to some predictions of some WTO experts, issues such as the reform of the organization of agriculture and the WTO are less likely to achieve major breakthroughs at this conference. Each member is more hoped to determine the direction and roadmap of the next negotiations. Successfully laid a good foundation.

Other issues including e -commerce taxes have also received widespread attention. 34 US members of the United States Congress have recently called on US trade representatives to promote the WTO agreed to continue the temporary exemption tariffs on electronic transmission. U.S. trade officials also told the media that it is important priority to strive for e -commerce for not imposing tariffs on the United States. At the same time, India has criticized US e -commerce giants' plunder pricing and arrogance in the Indian market.

The multilateral trading system is highly anticipated

The Minister of Trade Organization has gathered again after a lapse of 5 years, indicating that the international community has a strong willingness to overcome difficulties and promote the development of the multilateral trading system.

The Director -General of the WTO Ivera said at the opening ceremony that the world is facing unprecedented challenges today, including raging epidemic, grain crisis, climate crisis, energy crisis, armed conflict, trade disputes, etc. Severe difficulties.

Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of China, said at the meeting that the multilateral trade system with the World Trade Organization as the core is the cornerstone of international trade. China is willing to work with all parties to promote the World Trade Organization to play a greater role in the recovery of the world economy.

The founder and president of the Geneva think tank "Multidirectional Friends Group" Lu Xianzheng told Xinhua News Agency that the current international community is facing many global challenges, and the solution of these problems cannot be separated from the multilateral trade system. The international community generally expects members of each member to show their political will, bridge the differences and reach an agreement, and play an important role in the multilateral trade system. At the same time, it has officially launched the process of reform of the WTO and revived the multilateral trade system.

Regarding the negotiations of fishery subsidies, Lu Xianzheng said that the situation of global fishery resources is worrying, and the sustainable use of fishery resources seriously threatened fishery resources due to excessive fishing and illegal fishing due to subsidies. In terms of epidemic response and food security, he believes that the reaching an agreement will be directly related to whether the WTO can devote or play its due role in the future of the WTO in the future.

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