2011 is the first year of China’s 12th Five-Year Plan, also the tenth anniversary of its accession to the WTO. China has been actively maintaining multilateral trading system, striving to promote WTO Doha Round negotiation, steadily advancing negotiation on Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), participating in Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM), being actively involved in technical barriers to trade, technical assistance and consultations on trade policy. All of these have created a sound international environment for our economic and social development.



Actively promoting Doha Round negotiation



In 2011, MOFCOM accompanied Chinese leaders to attend G20 Summit, APEC Summit, East Asia Summit and China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue. MOFCOM reiterated China’s resolve to maintain multilateral trading system and promote Doha Round negotiation.



MOFCOM adopted a positive stance in negotiations. It participated in high-level consultation of Doha Round, and united developing countries to strengthen communication and coordination with emerging economies such India, Brazil and South Africa; it has been emphasizing the development goal of Doha Round negotiation, and calling for settlement of core issues of developing countries as first priority; it stuck to promoting negotiation in a multilateral mode, emphasized transparency and inclusiveness of negotiation, open to all kinds of methods of negotiation, and has won understanding and support by all parties.



At the end of 2011, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming led a delegation to attend the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference, expounded China’s position on major issues of importance of the multilateral trading system, promotion of Doha Round negotiation, resolution of concerns of least developed countries and improvement of global governance system, which got positive response.



Earnest in Trade Policy Review



In 2011, MOFCOM were present at the last transitional review of China’s trade policy by 17 WTO agencies, and made successfully the ten-year review mechanism come to an end; it held the first national work conference on WTO trade policy review, and initiated preparation for the fourth trade policy review of China; it sent delegations to take part in the WTO trade policy review of other major WTO members, and safeguarded our multilateral and bilateral trade and economic interests; and it fulfilled the duty of notification.



Earnest in Coping with technical barriers to trade



In 2011, MOFCOM showed concern to over 20 foreign technical barriers to trade that may harm our major interest in exports, worked on coordination among related departments, and made clarification on 40 technical measures, which are of concerns by foreign countries. It is timely in enhancing mutual trust, and effectively in dispelling suspicions and removing trade frictions.



MOFCOM has been vigorously carrying out technical assistance and consulting about WTO rules.



Steadily pressing ahead participation in GPA negotiation



In 2011, when the overall negotiation is not easy, MOFCOM actively coordinated with relative departments to participate in Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) negotiation; hosted two international seminars on government procurement and experts from WTO and other international organizations and academic community were invited; briefed central and local competent departments on GPA; and took part in the preparation of China’s third offer. In addition, MOFCOM made related project studies.



In 2012, based on the ten-year experience of entering WTO, in terms of developing multilateral trading system, MOFCOM will continue to make good use of the platform of WTO, promote the fairer, more efficient, and more balanced development of multilateral trading system, and utilize WTO rules to safeguard our economic development.