You are here: Home > Reform and Opening Up

China's accession to the WTO

(Reform and Opening Up)

Updated:2018-10-29 | By:China.org.cn

China's accession to the WTO

China formally joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) and became its 143rd member on December 11, 2001. This was an event of vital importance in its course of reform and opening up.

The country had gone through a lengthy and complicated process of tough negotiations, from working toward re-admission to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) till its admission to the WTO. The Chinese government formally applied to GATT on July 10, 1986 to have its status as a contracting party restored, and in November 1995 the negotiation transitioned to China's accession to the WTO. The Working Party on China's Accession met for the first time in Geneva in March 1996, and on September 17, 2001 the Working Party held its 18th session to adopt all the legal documents on China's accession and also to complete its own historical mission.

Since its entry to the WTO, China has further integrated with and become an irreplaceable force in the international economy, while benefiting from globalization. "Mutually beneficial" is an accurate description of China's relationship with the rest of the world. China firmly supports multilateral trade systems. It will always be a responsible WTO member and make a positive contribution to multilateral trade systems.

中国加入世界贸易组织

在中国改革开放历史进程中,“入世”是一个关键转折。2001年12月11日,中国正式加入世界贸易组织(WTO),成为其第143个成员。中国为了加入世界贸易组织,曾经历了从“复关”到入世的异常艰难、曲折、复杂、漫长的马拉松式谈判过程。1986年7月10日,中国政府正式提出申请,恢复中国在关贸总协定中的缔约国地位。1995年11月,中国复关谈判转为加入WTO的谈判。1996年3月,世贸组织中国工作组第一次正式会议在日内瓦召开。2001年9月17日,世贸组织中国工作组第18次会议举行正式会议,通过了中国入世的所有法律文件,同时也结束了世贸组织中国工作组的全部工作。

“入世”17年来,中国在不断受益于全球化发展的同时,也更加深入地融入世界经济,成为促进世界经济发展不可缺少的重要力量。互利共赢,是对这17年来中国与世界关系变化的准确描述。中国是多边贸易体制坚定的支持者,将一如既往做负责任的世界贸易组织成员,积极参与多边贸易体制建设。