China’s positive evaluation mainly focused on the following three aspects:first,
the EU has enjoyed an important status and played important roles in world
economy and international trade; second, the EU has been a core WTO member and
played a leading role in the Doha Round negotiations; third, China-EU bilateral
trade has grown rapidly and enjoyed huge potential for development; this was very
important for strengthening cooperation between the two sides. Meanwhile, in
reviews, China took a positive attitude towards major interest issues concerning the
EU including eastward expansion of the EU in recent years and the roles of the
EURO in future globalfinancial systems, etc.; moreover, China was willing to
intensify cooperation with the EU on these aspects. For example, in a recent review
on the EU in 2011, China said that“delegations from both sides keep good
cooperative relations and both sides believe that the WTO’s reliability should be
strengthened, laying a solid foundation for yielding a package of future (Doha
negotiations) results”,“both sides are two important forces supporting free trade,
multilateralism and world peace. Economically stable, prosperous Europe is in line
with the interests of both China and the world. China is willing to help keep the
Eurozone stable and promote Europe’s economic recovery. Intensified China-EU
cooperation on these aspects is of a great and far-reaching impact on safeguard-
ing the common interests of both sides and paving the way for future
mutually-beneficial bilateral cooperation”.
Like the EU, China also did not merely commend the EU; instead, China called
for more leadership on the part of the EU and more efforts from the EU in the
multilateral trade system, stabilization of current world economy and development
of China-EU economic and trade relations.
6.3.3 Brief Summary
The WTO’s trade policy review mechanism is a multilateral platform for regularly
expressing critiques and opinions on the trade policy and practice of any member,
even its economic and social development. Reviews since 2003 have shown that
both sides recognize the development of bilateral trade relations in the past ten
years, remain optimistic about future potential, and mutually appreciate their
respective roles in the WTO and bilateral cooperation. Such a positive mood
becomes clearer compared with the reviews of China by the USA and China’s
reviews of the USA.
First, this is an objective description of the basic facts concerning bilateral
healthy trade relations and good cooperation relations between the two sides in the
WTO. Second, this is a good expectation from both sides about the future devel-
opment. Third, this is a mutual call and request for the other side to assume more
responsibilities, fulfill more obligations and make more concessions in the WTO,
contribute more to the multilateral trade system, in other words, make more sac-
rifices where necessary. Fourth, this also reflects the reality of interdependence
against the background of dramatically changing international situations in recent
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