Overview

• Premier Li Qiang announced the change in New York at a China-hosted development forum held alongside the UN General Assembly.
• WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praised the pledge as important for revitalizing the multilateral trading system.
• China’s mission in Geneva said the country will continue to regard itself as a developing nation even as it stops seeking new special and differential benefits.
• Beijing’s Commerce Ministry said the move aims to strengthen global trade governance in a period of tariff disputes and protectionist measures.
• The step addresses a longstanding U.S. grievance and could smooth discussions on WTO reform, though analysts expect limited near-term impact given slow negotiations and the scope limited to new agreements.