China’s Response Strategies under the Reform of the WTO Special and Differential Treatment Provisions

Abstract

Special and differential treatment, as an important foundation of the WTO, safe-guards the development rights and interests of developing country members, while to a certain extent promoting fairness and justice under free trade. Special and differential treatment aims to provide developing members with preferential treatment to promote the economic and trade development of developing coun-tries, and requires developed members to undertake the obligation to give more preferential policies to developing members for this purpose. The contrast in power between developing and developed members has evolved in line with economic globalization, making the shortcomings and controversies of the special and differential treatment provisions increasingly apparent. This paper contains three main points: firstly, the controversies and shortcomings of the reform of the special and differential treatment provisions, secondly, a specific analysis of Chi-na’s enjoyment of the special and differential treatment provisions, and thirdly, China’s response strategies. The aim of this paper is to propose corresponding coping strategies for China in the S&D treatment negotiations and future eco-nomic and trade development, including the attitude that China should maintain towards S&D treatment in the negotiations. Therefore, it is concluded that in the process of reforming the S&D treatment provisions, China should adhere to its status as a developing country and apply the principles of S&D treatment, but at the same time should be prepared to graduate from its developing country status.