US Pressure on WTO Reform Discords with Facts, WTO Principles: MOC

商务部回应美施压WTO改革：不符合事实和WTO原则

U.S. denial of “developing country status” of some members including China in the World Trade Organization (WTO) is neither in line with the facts nor with the principles and spirit of the organization, said the Ministry of Commerce Thursday.

商务部新闻发言人高峰8月1日表示，美方在备忘录中否认包括中国在内的部分成员的发展中成员地位，这既不符合事实，也不符合世贸组织（WTO）的原则和精神。

Development issues are at the heart of the WTO work, Gao Feng, spokesperson for the ministry, remarked at a news conference when answering questions related to the United State’s applying pressure on the WTO. Although some members in the WTO have developed rapidly in recent years, the overall gap between the developing and developed countries still exists and even tends to enlarge, Gao said. He pointed out that the developing nations still need policy space to promote all-round development, and their endowed rights of “special and differential treatment” should be effectively protected.

针对美方近日对WTO改革施压，高峰在商务部当日召开的例行新闻发布会上说，发展问题是WTO工作的核心。虽然近年来部分发展中成员快速发展，但总体上南北发展的鸿沟依然存在，甚至还有扩大的趋势。发展中成员仍然需要政策空间以促进经济、社会、环境、减贫、就业等全方位的发展。发展中成员特殊与差别待遇的权利应该得到有效维护。

“China is the largest developing country in the world, and it would take a long time for the country to catch up with developed countries in many aspects,” Gao said.

“中国是世界上最大的发展中国家，在诸多方面仍然需要较长的时间追赶发达国家。”高峰说。

Citing a recent report issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Gao pointed out that China’s human development index ranked 86th in the world, which was just slightly above the world average level. He also said that the gap of absolute per capita income between China and the United States has widened from US$43,000 to US$46,000 between 2000 and 2016.

比如，根据联合国贸发会议近日发布的一份研究报告显示，中国的人类发展指数在全球排名是第86位，略高于世界平均水平，但仍然低于经合组织1990年的水平；2000至2016年期间，中国与美国的人均收入绝对值差距从4.3万美元拉大到4.6万美元；中国农业占GDP比重是7%，仍高于多数的中等收入国家；2018年中国非正式就业占比达到50%至74%；在全球价值链中，中国仍处于中低端环节。

As a responsible developing country, China will continue to shoulder its international responsibilities commensurate with its economic development, Gao said.

He stressed that China, together with other developing countries in the WTO, will firmly uphold its lawful rights and interests and will play a constructive role in the WTO reform.

高峰表示，作为负责任的发展中大国，中国会继续承担与经济发展水平和能力相适应的国际责任，也会与其他发展中成员一道，坚定维护发展中成员应有的合法权益，并将在世贸组织改革中发挥建设性的作用。

“We hope that the U.S. side could abandon erroneous practices of unilateralism and bullying and work with other WTO members to push forward the WTO reform in a positive direction,” Gao said.

“希望美方摒弃单边主义、霸凌主义的错误做法，与世贸组织其他成员共同努力，推动世贸组织改革进程朝着积极的方向前进。”他说。

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