China ‘open minded’ on G7 talks over issues at heart of US-China trade war, WTO ambassador says
- Trade ministers from the world’s seven largest advanced economies are working on an initiative aimed at reining in Chinese trade abuses
- They include forced technology transfer, market-changing industrial subsidies and trade-distorting actions by state enterprises
China’s ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) said there is scope for Beijing to work with the United States, the European Union and other Western nations on an agreement aimed at curbing the practices at the heart of the still-simmering US-China trade conflict.
“If we have a fair and a frank discussion on the issues, I think China will try its best to keep an open mind.”
Trade ministers from the world’s seven largest advanced economies are working on an initiative aimed at reining in Chinese trade abuses such as forced technology transfer, market-changing industrial subsidies and trade-distorting actions by state enterprises.
You cannot prejudge your conclusion and then put rules on the table and ask others to say simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’. That will make the discussion very difficult
The goal of the Group of 7 (G7) in the talks, which have been ongoing since 2017, is to produce an agreement that might eventually be adopted by the members of the WTO.
But getting China to join the talks, which are ostensibly aimed at restricting Beijing’s state-led economic model, remains a major hurdle.
If China plays ball, the negotiations could represent the most significant attempt to rewrite WTO rules since the ultimately unsuccessful Doha Round of trade negotiations was launched in 2001.