2018年CRI Remarks by Ambassador MA Zhaoxu at the High-Level Symposium "Strengthening Multilateralism and Multilateral Trading System in the Age of Globalization"

 

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the High-Level Symposium¹ co-hosted by the Chinese Mission and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

At present, world economy continues to maintain the momentum² of recovery, but its foundation is not solid. Meanwhile, unilateralism, isolationism and trade protectionism are on the rise, dealing³ a heavy blow to multilateralism and multilateral trading system, while adding to the instabilities and uncertainties⁴ of global economy.

As a crucial engine of world economic growth, trade has a vital role to play in economic globalization and the implementation⁵ of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

To safeguard a rules-based, universal, open, transparent⁶, predictable, inclusive, non- discriminatory and equitable⁷ multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization (WTO) is an earnest practice to support multilateralism and an important guarantee for global economic growth.

The international community should jointly⁸ support multilateralism, uphold the multilateral trading system and its rules, and actively⁹ build an open world economy. We need to expeditiously¹⁰ push for substantive¹¹ progress in the Doha Round of negotiations¹² and add new momentum to world economic growth.

In the spirit of win-win cooperation and common development, we should properly handle trade frictions¹³ through dialogue and consultation¹⁴, take concrete actions to oppose all forms of unilateralism and trade protectionism, and firmly advocate and support free trade. Parties need to uphold the basic principles of the WTO. We need to improve trade finance and help countries in special situations integrate into the multilateral trading system. 

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

China has always been actively promoting multilateralism and firmly upholding the multilateral trading system and its rules. Since its accession to the WTO in 2001, China has honored its commitments across the board, made all its WTO concessions¹⁵ and opened its door wider. In terms of trade in goods, China has fulfilled all its tariff¹⁶ reduction commitments, lowering its overall tariff level from 15.3% to 9.8%. In recent years, China has taken the initiative to further cut the import duty on some commodities. As regards trade in services, China has opened up nearly 120 service sectors¹⁷ categorized by the WTO, exceeding the 100 sectors promised at its accession and approaching the average levels of developed countries.

As an active response to the WTO's Aid for Trade initiative, China has helped to the best of its abilities other developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs).

Since the international financial crisis in 2008, China has contributed over 30% of global growth every year on average. In 2017, China contributed around 34% of global growth and accounted for 15% of the world economic aggregate¹⁸. In the coming five years, China is expected to import eight trillion US dollars of goods, attract 600 billion US dollars of foreign investment and make 750 billion US dollars of outbound investment.

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up. Over the last four decades, China has been committed to supporting multilateralism and actively upholding the multilateral trading system and its rules. At the Boao Forum¹⁹ for Asia Annual Conference, His Excellency President Xi Jinping pointed²⁰ out that opening-up was key to China's economic growth over the past 40 years, and in the same vein²¹, high-quality development of China's economy in the future can only be achieved with greater openness. China will adopt the following major measures to pursue further opening:

First, we will significantly broaden market access. On services, financial services in particular, we are accelerating the opening-up of the insurance industry, and easing restrictions²² on the establishment of foreign financial institutions in China. On manufacturing, we will ease as soon as possible foreign equity²³ restrictions in these industries, automobiles²⁴ in particular.

Second, we will create a more attractive investment environment. We will enhance alignment²⁵ with international economic and trading rules, increase transparency, strengthen property rights protection, uphold the rule of law, encourage competition and oppose monopoly.

Third, we will strengthen protection of intellectual property rights (IPR). We encourage normal technological²⁶ exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign enterprises, and protect the lawful²⁷ IPR owned by foreign enterprises in China. At the same time, we hope foreign governments will also improve protection of Chinese IPR.

Fourth, we will take the initiative to expand imports. China does not seek trade surplus; we have a genuine desire to increase imports and achieve greater balance of international payments under the current account. We hope developed countries will stop imposing²⁸ restrictions on normal and reasonable trade of high-tech²⁹ products and relax export controls on such trade with China.

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

Five years ago, President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which is a concrete result of multilateralism. Since then, more than 80 countries and international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China. We are ready to work with all countries in the world to make the BRI the broadest platform for international cooperation, in keeping with the trend of economic globalization and to the greater benefit of all our peoples.

Finally, I would like to reiterate³⁰ our commitment to multilateralism and free trade system. We are ready to work together with all parties to dedicate ourselves to openness and win-win outcomes, and keep striving for a community with a shared future for mankind.

Thank you.

1 symposium   

n.讨论会，专题报告会；专题论文集

参考例句：

• What have you learned from the symposium?你参加了这次科学讨论会有什么体会？
• The specialists and scholars present at the symposium come from all corners of the country.出席研讨会的专家学者们来自全国各地。

2 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

4 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告

5 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

6 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

7 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

8 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

9 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

10 expeditiously   

adv.迅速地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• They have to be evaluated expeditiously, carefully with the patient fully UNDRESSED. 我看过许多的枪伤患者，但是就只有阿扁的伤口没有上述情形，真是天佑台湾。 来自互联网
• We will expeditiously facilitate trade transactions with the utmost professionalism. 我们会尽快贸易便利化的交易与最大的专业水平。 来自互联网

11 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

12 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

13 frictions   

n.摩擦( friction的名词复数 )；摩擦力；冲突；不和

参考例句：

• Family frictions can interfere with a child's schoolwork. 家庭中的争吵会影响孩子的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• As far as we are concerned, these frictions are not of our own making [have been imposed on us]. 就我们来说，这种摩擦是被动式的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

15 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

16 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

17 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 aggregate   

adj.总计的，集合的；n.总数；v.合计；集合

参考例句：

• The football team had a low goal aggregate last season.这支足球队上个赛季的进球总数很少。
• The money collected will aggregate a thousand dollars.进帐总额将达一千美元。

19 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

20 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

21 vein   

n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络

参考例句：

• The girl is not in the vein for singing today.那女孩今天没有心情唱歌。
• The doctor injects glucose into the patient's vein.医生把葡萄糖注射入病人的静脉。

22 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

23 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

24 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

25 alignment   

n.队列；结盟，联合

参考例句：

• The church should have no political alignment.教会不应与政治结盟。
• Britain formed a close alignment with Egypt in the last century.英国在上个世纪与埃及结成了紧密的联盟。

26 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

27 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

28 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

29 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

30 reiterate   

v.重申，反复地说

参考例句：

• Let me reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to increase taxation.让我再一次重申我们绝对没有增税的计划。
• I must reiterate that our position on this issue is very clear.我必须重申我们对这一项议题的立场很清楚。