坚决捍卫合法权利 维护多边贸易体制

China Will Firmly Protect Its Legitimate Interests and Multilateral Trade System

商务部部长  高虎城

Gao Hucheng, Minister of Commerce

2001年12月11日,中国正式加入世界贸易组织。15年来,作为世界上最大的发展中国家,中国积极推动全球贸易投资自由化便利化,深度参与经济全球化进程,始终是多边贸易体制的积极参与者、坚定维护者和重要贡献者,始终严格遵守世贸组织规则,认真履行承诺义务。国际金融危机爆发后,在多哈回合谈判陷入迟滞的情况下,中国继续高举多边贸易旗帜,无论是在巴厘岛还是内罗毕的部长级会议上,都充分发挥了负责任贸易大国的引领作用,推动世贸组织继续前行,为促进全球经济的繁荣、多边贸易体制的发展,做出了积极、重要的贡献。

Fifteen years have passed since China officially joined the WTO on December 11, 2001. Over the years, China, as the biggest developing country in the world, has been committed to liberalization and facilitation of global trade and investment and engaging in economic globalization. China also participated in, protected and contributed to the multilateral trade system by observing WTO rules and fulfilling its promises and responsibilities. After the outbreak of the global financial crisis, China continued its efforts on multilateral trade rules. When the Doha Round met with impasse, China, at both ministerial meetings in Bali and Nairobi, played a leading role as a responsible major trading country, in a bid to help the WTO move forward, bolster global prosperity and boost multilateral trade system.

世贸组织是以规则为基础的多边贸易体制,遵守规则是国际贸易投资得以有序繁荣发展的关键。长期以来,作为世界经济体系的三大支柱之一,多边贸易体制得到有效维护,多边规则得到认真遵守,是全球经济繁荣发展的根本保证,对于世界的和平稳定具有不可替代的重要作用。世贸组织规则已经成为国际法的重要组成部分。

Since WTO acts as a rule-based multilateral trading system, its rules must be observed to ensure an orderly and sustained development of international trade and investment. Over the years, an effective observation of multilateral trade system and rules, one of the three pillars of the world economic system, has laid a foundation for global economic prosperity and played an irreplaceable part in world peace and stability. The WTO rules are now an integral part of international law.

严格遵守条约义务是国际法的基本原则。作为《世界贸易组织协定》的组成部分,《中国加入世贸组织议定书》(以下称《议定书》)第十五条规定,对华反倾销中采用“替代国”价格而非受调查的中国产业价格计算倾销幅度的做法,在中国加入世贸组织15年后,即自2016年12月11日起,必须终止。作为世贸组织的一项法律规定,如期终止对华反倾销“替代国”做法是国际条约义务,所有成员都必须严格遵守。这一点是明确和不容置疑的。中国的合法权益必须得到维护。

The basic principles of international law call for each party to abide by the obligations stated in the treaties. As a constituent part of “WTO Agreement”, the Article 15 of the Protocol on the Accession of the People’s Republic of China to the WTO stipulates that the “surrogate country approach” used by member countries to calculate anti-dumping measures against Chinese exports will expire 15 years after the date of accession. The provision means that starting from December 11, 2016, any future anti-dumping cases against China should make comparison with prices or costs in China. Since this obligation has been written into the international treaty, each WTO member should fulfill it without doubt by abolishing the “surrogate country system” as scheduled. China’s legitimate interests should be duly protected.

中国有句古话:言必信,行必果。契约精神是市场经济的基石,信守条约是国际法的基本准则。维护条约义务的严肃性,维护多边贸易体制的权威性,是世贸组织成员的共同义务,也是各成员的共同利益。目前,绝大多数世贸组织成员已经提前或如期履行《议定书》第十五条项下的条约义务,对华终止使用反倾销“替代国”做法。

There is an old saying in China that “promises must be kept and actions must be resolute”. The spirit of contract is the foundation of market economy while commitment to fulfill promises is the basic principle of international law. It is the shared obligation and common interest of each member state to honor the terms in the protocol and maintain the authority of the multilateral trading system. Most of the WTO members have fulfilled their obligations stipulated under the Article 15 in the protocol ahead or on schedule by terminating the “surrogate country system” against China.

但是,仍有少数成员拒绝履行《议定书》第十五条义务,并刻意混淆《议定书》第十五条与其国内法中所谓“市场经济国家”的概念,甚至将部分行业产能过剩问题与之挂钩。事实上,世贸组织本身的规则中并没有相关概念。所谓“市场经济国家”标准,是个别成员冷战时期的国内产物,世贸组织164个成员中有此国内立法的寥寥无几,屈指可数。产能过剩更是全球性问题,需要世界各国共同应对。这些与如期彻底履行世贸组织条约义务没有任何关系。中国坚决反对肆意曲解世贸组织规则、肢解多边贸易体制的行为。中方敦促所有世贸组织成员,重信守诺,遵守国际法准则,切实履行国际义务。对于个别成员不履行义务的行为,中国将坚定地维护自身合法权益,保留采取进一步措施的权利,同绝大多数世贸组织成员一道,共同维护多边贸易体制的严肃性。

But a few have refused to do so. They even tried to obscure the term “market economy” with their domestic logic, or cite overcapacity in some industries as an excuse for delay. The WTO rules, as a matter of fact, did not provide detailed definition of “market economy”. The so-called standard of “market economy” was actually created during the Cold War, and only a few of the 164 WTO members have adopted such standards in their internal laws. As for the overcapacity issue, it is a problem faced by, and should be solved by, all countries in the world. They cannot use such excuses to postpone the fulfillment of their obligations. China firmly opposes such misinterpretation of WTO rules and multilateral trading system. China urges each party to keep their words, observe international law and fulfill their international obligations. As for those who refuse to keep their promises, China will adamantly protect its legitimate interests and reserve the right to take further measures. China will join hands with most of the member states to protect the solemnness of multilateral trading system.