On December 10, 2024, The 23rd Annual Conference on WTO and China and Seminar on the 30th Anniversary of the WTO were successfully held at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). The conference was co-hosted by UIBE and China Society for WTO Studies and jointly organized by the two WTO Chairs in China - China Institute for WTO Studies at UIBE and the School of International Organizations (School of Trade Negotiations) at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics. The event was also co-supported by the International Trade Forum of the China Society of World Economics, the WTO Law Research Society of the China Law Society, the National Collaborative Group on International Trade Disciplines in Higher Education, and the Global Trade and Economic Governance Research Network. Under the theme “30 Years of the WTO and China's Role,” nearly 200 experts from academia and government sectors conducted in-depth discussions on key issues related to WTO.

The conference consisted of an opening ceremony, keynote speeches, a roundtable forum, two themed workshops, and a concluding lecture. Nearly 200 participants, including experts and scholars from relevant government departments, universities and research institutions, industry representatives, and faculty and students from UIBE, attended the event. The opening ceremony was chaired by Mr. Tu Xinquan, WTO Chairholder at UIBE and the Dean of China Institute for WTO Studies at UIBE.

The President of UIBE Prof. Zhao Zhongxiu, President of the China Society for WTO Studies and former Deputy Representative for International Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Commerce Mr. Chong Quan, and Deputy Commissioner for negotiation in WTO Affairs Department at the Ministry of Commerce Mr. Han Changtian, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Prof. Zhao highlighted the WTO's significant role in fostering economic cooperation among its members and driving global economic growth. He pointed out that China’s journey from fulfilling its WTO commitments to becoming the world’s second-largest economy vividly demonstrates the effectiveness and vast potential of the multilateral trading system. In light of global trade uncertainties, he emphasized the urgency and necessity of WTO reform and invited experts to engage in further discussions and collaborations. Mr. Chong Quan noted that protectionism threatens the multilateral trading system while issues like digital technology and climate change are reshaping the traditional free-trade landscape. He called for interdisciplinary collaboration from academia to contribute wisdom to the development of the multilateral trading system. Mr. Han Changtian remarked that the WTO has created a conducive environment and robust rules for global trade amid complex international circumstances, safeguarding the authority and effectiveness of international law. He urged the academic community to participate actively in WTO reform and contribute innovative ideas to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

During the keynote speesches session, Mr. Yi Xiaozhun, former Vice Minister of Commerce and former Deputy Director-General of the WTO, outlined three major achievements of the WTO over its 30-year history: advancing economic globalization, promoting economic growth in developing economies, and attempting the challenging Doha Round negotiations. He noted the increasing collaboration between the WTO and UIBE, exemplified by the recent visit of the WTO Director-General to the university, and expressed hopes for deeper cooperation to contribute China's perspective to multilateral trade reform. Mr. Li Ruogu, former President of the Export-Import Bank of China, analyzed China's achievements since joining the WTO using macroeconomic statistics, emphasizing the challenges posed by protectionism. Mr. Fu Mengzi, former Vice President of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, shared insights on changes in the international trade environment and China’s responses. Nankai University Vice President Prof. Sheng Bin discussed the WTO’s functions and limitations, calling for confidence in the multilateral trading system.

The roundtable forum, chaired by Prof. Lu Xiankun, Managing Director of LEDECO Geneva, the founder and CEO of the Friends of Multilateralism Group (FMG) focused on the theme “The Future of the WTO and China's Choices in the Post-Trump Era.” Mr. Xie Tao, Dean of the School of International Relations at Beijing Foreign Studies University, discussed shifts in U.S. bipartisan attitudes toward free trade in combination with the voting situation of the US Congress and analyzed the influence of the current Republican Party's protectionist policies on international trade policymaking. Prof. Ji Wenhua, WTO co-chair and professor from UIBE Law School noted that the Trump administration’s overly frequent and broad use of trade policies diminished the effectiveness of policy tools but also potentially reinvigorated the WTO’s resilience and promote closer trade cooperation among WTO members. Mr. Hong Xiaodong, former Director-General of the WTO Affairs Department in the Ministry of Commerce, discussed challenges facing the WTO and proposed strategies for China. Mr. Wang Xiaosong, a professor at School of Economics in Renmin University of China, highlighted the rising influence of Global South countries in international trade and advocated for China's leadership in multilateral cooperation. Mr. Ying Pinguang, Dean of the School of International Organizations at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, stressed that embracing multilateralism is the best approach for China to expand alliances and reduce trade conflicts amid increasingly systematic and institutionalized competition measures against China by the United States.

In the afternoon of December 10, two workshops were held. Eight scholars from renowned universities and research institutions presented their latest conference papers on the themes “Economic Impacts of Trade Policy and Rules Changes” and “Directions and Pathways for WTO Reform.”

The symposium on " Economic Impacts of Trade Policy and Rules Changes " was moderated by Prof. Ma Hong from Tsinghua University’s. Ms. Chen Xin, Ph.D. student from UIBE, analyzed the impact of trade policy uncertainty on export quality; Ms. Cui Nanchen, PhD student at UIBE, evaluates the export effect of the minimum proportion principle; Mr. Tang Ke, Lecturer from Henan University of Economics and Law, discussed green finance, technological innovation and ecological construction in the world's major economies from the perspective of WTO; Ms. Ruan Shuhui, Assistant Researcher from the Shanghai WTO Affairs Consulting Center, analyzed the development direction of regional value chain rules in the United States based on the subsidy policy of new energy vehicles in the United States. Prof. Zhang Lijuan from Shandong University provided professional commentary on these four papers.

The second workshop under the theme “Directions and Pathways for WTO Reform.” was moderated by Prof. Chen Weidong from UIBE Law School. Ms. Ding Ru, Associate Professor from China University of Political Science and Law, discussed the reform direction of WTO industrial subsidy rules from the perspective of China's new development concept. Ms. Jing Ming, Associate Researcher from Fudan University, analyzed the role of China's Belt and Road Initiative in improving cross-border e-commerce laws and the impact on global trade reform. Ms. Ren Yanjiao, PhD student from Central University of Finance and Economics, discussed the rules of cross-border data flow from the perspective of WTO law. Ms.Liu Siyi, Lecturer from the University of International Relations, put forward plans and ideas on the power distribution mechanism involved in the reform of the WTO Appellate body. Prof. Han Liyu from Renmin University of China’s School of Law delivered a comprehensive review.