Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

1-2012

Abstract

In November 2001, China finally acceded to the World Trade Organization after a marathon accession negotiation that lasted 15 years. As China's accession coincided with the launch of the Doha Round, many commentators predicted that China's participation in the trade negotiations would have significant impacts on the Round. However, this has not proven to be the case. What have been the approaches taken by China in global trade negotiations? Why did China adopt these approaches? How did China's different negotiating approaches affect the dynamics of trade negotiations? These are the questions addressed in this article. The paper argues that China started as a reluctant player in the negotiations, and only gradually made its way into the core decision-making group of the WTO rather late during the round. Even though China has now been accepted as a member of the G-7, the most powerful group in the WTO, it has been playing only supportive rather than leading roles. The article explains the reasons for such low profile approaches, and also examines the value of Chinese proposals from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. The article concludes with some thoughts on the broader implications of China's growing power in the WTO as a whole.

Keywords

Accession, China, Doha Round, International Law, International Trade, Market Access, Trade Negotiation, World Trade Organization (WTO)

Discipline

International Law | International Trade Law

Publication

China Perspectives

Volume

1

First Page

59

Last Page

65

ISSN

2070-3449

Publisher

French Centre for Research on Contemporary China

Additional URL

http:// chinaperspectives.revues.org/5823

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