BEIJING: China has criticized the U.S. “reciprocal tariffs” policy for its “one-sided, misleading” narrative and erroneous logic, urging the United States to faithfully abide by the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and maintain the stability of the global trading system.
At a meeting of the Council for Trade in Services on Friday at the WTO headquarters, the Chinese delegation said that by focusing solely on goods trade and overlooking service trade, the U.S. narrative on “reciprocal tariffs” is one-sided and misleading.
The delegation said the United States has sustained long-term surpluses in the service trade with its major trading partners, which reached approximately $300 billion in 2024 alone.
By deeply participating in the highest value-added activities, such as research and development, design, branding, and sales, the United States gains much higher returns in international trade and globalization than surface trade data reflects, it said.
The delegation urged the United States not to employ a double standard regarding WTO rules. The United States cannot only allow itself to benefit while not letting others, especially developing members, benefit from the WTO, it said.
Acknowledging that China and the United States have reached a consensus through equal consultation, which helps ease tensions, the delegation said that while bilateral negotiations may serve as a channel to ease and resolve trade frictions, such arrangements must be based on WTO rules, not violate the basic principle of non-discrimination, and not harm the interests of third parties.
China calls on all members to address their trade concerns within the WTO framework and to handle trade disputes through multilateral cooperation rather than unilateral measures.
China also highlighted the importance of accelerating WTO reform to strengthen an open, stable, and predictable multilateral trading system.
The Chinese delegation’s statement resonated widely among WTO members. Both developed members, including the European Union, Australia and Canada, and developing members, such as Brazil and Pakistan, made positive responses.
The members emphasized that services represent the future of global trade. The service trade plays a vital role in countering economic crises and ensuring the resilience of global supply chains.
They also called for joint efforts to uphold consultation and cooperation to promote the healthy and stable growth of global trade. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
