File photo taken on April 2, 2019 shows the WTO logo on the main gate of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)

China will participate in the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, Shu Jueting, a spokesperson of Ministry of Commerce, said on Thursday. 

The Ministerial Conference is the highest decision-making body of the WTO and is usually held every two years. 

The MC12 was originally scheduled to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from November 30 to December 3 last year. The parties originally planned to achieve positive results in areas such as fishery subsidy agreements, strengthening international anti-epidemic cooperation, agriculture, and regulation of trade in services.
 
However, the WTO postponed that meeting, citing the rapid spread of the new Omicron variant in the world, as many governments adopted travel restrictions, and representatives of many countries were unable to arrive in Geneva to attend the meeting. 

China will actively participate in MC12, support WTO reform in the right direction, and support the inclusive development of the multilateral trading system, according to Shu.

Shu said China will unswervingly safeguard genuine multilateralism, and maintain the main channel for the formulation of international rules of the multilateral trading system, and promote the MC12 to achieve positive and pragmatic results.

Shu said in recent years, economic globalization has encountered adverse currents, unilateralism and protectionism have been on the rise, the appellate body of the dispute settlement mechanism has been suspended, and the authority and effectiveness of the WTO have faced serious challenges. 

All parties hope that the WTO will resume normal operation as soon as possible, Shu added. 

Global Times