Synopsis
The outgoing WTO DDG from Asia was also a Chinese national. Beijing views these coveted posts as critical to seek equivalence with the US as a global power.
AFP
Over the past few years China has made concerted effort to influence major institutions as part of its attempt to dominate global discourse.
China has pipped India to bag the post of deputy director general (DDG) at the World Trade Organization, allegedly by using its good offices with director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
India had applied for WTO DDG post from the Asian quota, but China was once again successful in bagging the coveted position for the next eight years. The outgoing WTO DDG from Asia was also a Chinese national. Beijing views these coveted posts as critical to seek equivalence with the US as a global power.
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
In a surprising announcement last week, the United States (US) reversed course on its position towards the COVID-10 TRIPS Agreement waiver negotiations, saying it would negotiate a waiver at the World Trade Organization (WTO). US Republican lawmakers and the pharmaceutical industry pushed back on the decision, warning it would allow the People’s Republic of China (“China”) to gain access to American innovation. Meanwhile, tension between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) flared this past week over fishery rights with an English Channel island, Jersey. The UK hosted Group of Seven (G7) meetings and focused on climate change, Viet Nam and India. And the European Commission released its long-anticipated proposed regulation related to distortive foreign subsidies, along with its update to the EU’s Industrial Strategy.
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Chinese official named deputy head of WTO
Thu, 6 May 2021
Chinese Vice-Minister of Commerce Zhang Xiangchen has been appointed as a deputy director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a move that government officials and experts believe is a recognition of the East Asian country’s role in the WTO and its contribution to the multilateral trading system.
They also said WTO members, in the face of rising unilateralism and protectionism, should strengthen communication to achieve consensus step-by-step to advance necessary reform of the organisation, in order to safeguard the multilateral trading system and promote the building of an open world economy.
Official named deputy head of WTO By LIU ZHIHUA | CHINA DAILY | Updated: 2021-05-06 07:15 Share File photo of Zhang Xiangchen.
Zhang Xiangchen, vice-minister of commerce, has been appointed as a deputy director-general of the World Trade Organization, a move that government officials and experts believe is a recognition of China s role in the WTO and its contribution to the multilateral trading system.
They also said members of the WTO, in the face of rising unilateralism and protectionism, should strengthen communication to achieve consensus step by step to advance necessary reform of the WTO, in order to safeguard the multilateral trading system and promote the building of an open world economy.