China's door will not be closed, but will open wider and wider
By Fang Yingxin
People's Daily app
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Ambassador Zhang Ming (Right) meets with Klaus Welle, Secretary General of the European Parliament, on October 11, 2018. (Photo: Mission of the People's Republic of China to the EU) 

Brussels (People’s Daily) - China does not want a trade war with the United States, or any other country, Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, stressed in a wide-ranging interview with EURACTIV.com, which is a leading pan-European media network specializing in EU policy. 

“On China’s part, the door for dialogue remains open,”  Zhang said.

In a recent joint report, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization (WTO) said a continued escalation of trade tensions has increased the threat to global stability, and job and economic growth.

“We are ready to settle trade friction through dialogue that is based on equality, good faith and mutual respect,” said Zhang.

To stick to multilateralism, or to let unilateralism have its way? This is a critical question that must be answered. Zhang made it very clear that China has remained steadfast in upholding multilateralism.

China and the EU are “in the same boat” when it comes to preserving multilateralism, said Zhang. He stressed the importance of deepening China-EU relations. 

“We hope to make joint efforts with the EU and other parties to bolster the multilateral free trade system, tackle the impact of unilateralism and protectionism, and save the global economy from severe damage,” he said.

Zhang said that China hopes to act together with the EU in such a spirit, and jointly preserve the UN-centered international system, especially the WTO-centered multilateral trade system, with a view to bringing a greater sense of certainty to this world. This serves the interests of not only China and the EU but the world at large.

In particular, Zhang reiterated the Chinese government’s firm stance on intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, calling for more cooperation with EU. 

“If China is to become more innovative, the first thing to do would be to put in place a rigorous IPR protection regime. We have further improved the legal system along that line, and have introduced a set of rules for administrative and judicial enforcement. Forced transfer of technology is strictly prohibited. Definitely, we will continue to do more to strengthen IPR protection,” he said.

The WTO-centered multilateral trade system has an indispensable role to play in resisting protectionism, and promoting trade and sustainable development. Zhang said that the WTO is not flawless and voiced China’s support on necessary reform to improve the body. 

In WTO reform, three principles are of crucial importance, he said.

First, the fundamental values of the organization should not be abandoned. In other words, the current system could not be upended altogether. 

Second, development should be put right at the center, with the reasonable demands of developing members properly handled. 

Third, the reform should follow a step-by-step approach on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, addressing the body’s most immediate existential challenges first. 

In response to the doubts within the EU about China’s commitment to open up its economy, he declared, “There is not a single reason for us not to keep to the path of reform and opening-up.”

He added that since the start of reform and opening-up 40 years ago, great changes have taken place in China. Over 700 million people have shaken off extreme poverty. Foreign trade has grown by 14.5 percent annually on average. 

“It is fair to say that we have made tangible contributions to the progress of human society and injected sustained impetus into the global economy,” he said.

“At last year’s Davos Forum, President Xi Jinping reiterated China’s commitment to multilateralism, reform and opening-up. That was a serious message from China’s top leader, loud and clear. It is encouraging to note that the speech has resonated well around the world. This coming November, China will hold the first international import expo in Shanghai. It is another major step that we voluntarily take to open to the world,” Zhang said.

“China is not interested in building walls, but in lowering threshold for access,” Zhang said, concluding that China’s door will not be closed, but will open wider and wider.