Brief History

China Institute for WTO Studies, UIBE is an organization integrating research, teaching and consulting. Its predecessor was the GATT Research Association set up in May 1991, which changed its name to the WTO Research Association following the establishment of the WTO. In January 2000 the WTO Research Center was founded after a restructuring of the WTO Research Association. In August 2000 the Center was chosen by the Ministry of Education as a Key Research Institution of Humanities and Social Sciences in Universities and the only one of its kind dedicated to the study of WTO. A name change occurred in July 2002 when China Institute for WTO Studies was adopted. The aim of the present Institute is to research the multilateral trading system, economic integration, national trade policies in the context of the WTO. Guided by the basic national policy of reform and opening up, the Institute directs its research efforts at facilitating the development of a market economy in China, the integration of China's economy into the world economic system, China's participation in global competition and its modernization drive process. As is required by the Ministry of Education, the Institute endeavors to develop into the country's premier insitution of research, education and training, nationwide academic exchange, information gathering and consulting services.

Organizational Structure

Long Yongtu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Economic Cooperation is chief consultant to the Institute. Professor Wang Linsheng of UIBE is honorary director of the Institute and the director of the Institute is Professor Zhang Hanlin. Professor Xue Rongjiu heads the Council for Academic Affairs. At the Institute there are various sections involved in research on trade in goods, international trade in services, WTO and international investment, WTO and e-commerce, WTO Laws and Rules (jointly run by the School of Law), WTO member countries' trade policies and laws, and WTO and China forum.

Ever since its inception, the Institute has developed long-term cooperative relations with relevant/concerned ministries and commissions under the State Council, local governments, enterprises and institutions in various forms. Joint effort has reaped fruits in the setting up of Guangdong WTO Advisory Center, Shanghai WTO Advisory Center, Fujian WTO Advisory Center and China (Hainan) Institute for Reform and Development. In addition, the Institute took an instrumental role in setting up Fu Yao Anti-dumping Research Institute and Zhejiang Socio-economic Consulting Service. All this shows how the Institute has followed out the principle of putting theory to use and promoting the country's economic development.

Achievements in Research

In combining theory with practice and integrating research with teaching, the Institute was involved with research and decision-making with regards to China's resumption of its GATT membership and joining the WTO. Over the years the Institute has accomplished a large number of research projects at national and provincial levels, and published numerous books and monographs on the subject of WTO including A Dictionary of GATT, WTO and China's Economic Development, International Trade in Services, New Areas of Business Competition, On Complementary Competition, Economic Globalization, WTO and China, An ABC of WTO, The Changing Economic System in the Context of Foreign Direct Investment, China Opens Up Its Western Regions, China's Economy and the Multilateral Trading System, China's WTO Entry and Intellectual Property Rights. The Institute has prepared and presented numbers of advisory reports to various government departments, more than ten of which won awards.

Since its founding in August 2000 the Institute has completed 38 research projects running a fund totaling 2.4 million Yuan. Of these research projects 4 were financed by the State Fund for Social Sciences, one by State Fund for Natural Science, 9 by the Ministry of Education Fund for Social Sciences. Major achievements in the way of publications include The Road to Prosperity--Choice of Policies in a Globalized Economy, Globalization of the Economy, Talks on China's Entry into WTO, International Economic Organizations and the Third World, WTO and Trade Dispute over Agricultural Products, Global Competition--Opportunities and Challenges, WTO and China's Utilization of Foreign Investment and Investing Overseas, Notes on WTO Rules, China and WTO: Rules, Challenges and Ways Forward, Studies in China's Market Economy, China's Trade and Economic Relations after WTO, On Global Competition, Zhang Hanlin Interprets China's WTO Entry, A Theoretical Study of China's Market Economy, WTO's Dispute Settlement Mechanism--Case Studies and Analysis, China's Service Industry and the Multilateral Service Trade system, China's WTO Membership Commitments: A New Economic Strategy and a New Economic Pattern, Commitments in Manufacturing: Redivision and Upgrading, Commitments in Services: Opening Up and Promise of Success, Commitments in Agriculture: Competition and Development, WTO Safeguard Measures Dispute:Case Studies, WTO Intellectual Property Dispute:Case Studies.

Academic Exchange

The Institute has organized and participated in a series of symposiums on GATT and WTO both at home and abroad.

In 1992 an international symposium was held at the Great Hall of the People to discuss the theme:GATT and China. Among the participants were a Deputy Director-General of GATT and a team of senior experts from the secretariat of GATT. Vice Premier Li Lanqing attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech on the theme.

In December 1996 the Institute the Department of International Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation jointly held an international symposium on WTO and China's Economy. Mr. Rubens Ricupero, UN Deputy Secretary-General and Secretary-General of UNCTAD attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech on the topic of Globalization and WTO. China's Vice Trade Minister Mr. Long Yongtu also attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

In January and July when China's WTO entry talks were at a crucial stage, the Institute lost no time in running two WTO training courses attended by government officials and senior business executives from Beijing and provinces. Researchers, scholars and experts were invited to give lectures on the subject of WTO. Long Yongtu, the then China's Chief Negotiator came and gave a speech on invitation.

Since November 1999 the Institute organized symposiums in coordination with government departments including those in Beijing, Guangdong, Guangxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Jiangsu, Chongqing, Zhejiang, Sichuan. Researchers of this Insititute were invited by ministries and commissions to attend advanced seminars and policy advisory meetings.

In December 2000 the Institute and Wuxi City government held a symposium in Beijing to discuss trade and service problems of audio-visual products.

In September 2001 the Institute, Xian City government, Hong Kong's Board of Trade Development and Macau's Board of Trade Development jointly held a symposium to discuss WTO in relation to Western China's development, economic relations between Chinese mainland and Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

Researchers of the Institute were invited to give lectures or attend conferences in the US, Australia, Hong Kong and others.

Education and Training

Back in the early 1980s the Institute ran courses in GATT, International Economic Organizations, etc. The number of courses has increased over the years to keep up with the times/latest developments. The courses now offered include Studies on WTO, An Introduction to WTO, WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism, WTO and China's Policy on Foreign Investment, WTO Rules on Trade in Goods, WTO Rules on Intellectual Property Rights, Globalization of the Economy, Regional Economic Integration, English for WTO, WTO and China's Economy and Trade. The Institute has turned out numbers of graduates/students with a doctor's or master's degree in the field of/specializing in GATT/WTO studies.