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Unilateral opposition to proposed Nigerian candidate, US spoils WTO and WTO is in deep crisis
On the afternoon of the 28th local time, last night in Beijing time, the spokesperson for the World Trade Organization announced that the Nigerian candidate, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has received wide support in all regions and economies of different levels. developmental. Ahead of South Korean candidate Yu Myung Hee, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala became the final recommendation of the new director general that the WTO Director-General would present to the General Council in the selection of the “three-person panel”, but the United States unilaterally expressed do not Endorse this recommended candidate.
In recent years, multilateral trade negotiations have stalled, the appeal body of the dispute settlement mechanism has been suspended, and the world economy and trade order have been hit by waves of unilateralism and protectionism. The WTO faces unprecedented tests. Under continued obstruction by the United States, this major international organization dealing with world trade problems is in deep crisis.
▌United States obstructs suspension of WTO Appellate Body
The WTO upholds the principle of consensus among members and decision-making power is largely in the hands of the members. However, the current US government has aggressively attacked multilateralism and globalization. He has repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the WTO. It has continuously attacked the Appellate Body in the WTO dispute settlement mechanism and unilaterally blocked the selection of new judges for the Appellate Body. A judge is in office and cannot hear the case. At the WTO General Council in December last year, the Appellate Body was finally suspended due to the opposition of the United States to the proposed reform of the WTO Appellate Body.
WTO Director-General Azevedo (December 2019 data screen): Obviously, at least one member (United States) is not happy and believes that the draft cannot solve all the issues raised by him, and China and the majority of the other members hope to find Solution measures, ready to support the Appellate Body reform project.
The Appellate Body is considered the “supreme court” in the field of international trade. Not only do you have the right to review the “preliminary ruling” report issued by the WTO expert group, but its ruling is considered the final judgment and is mandatory. Therefore, the WTO is called an international organization with “teeth”. And the United States’ practice of forcing the Appellate Body to paralyze is actually “pulling teeth” on the WTO.
Furthermore, the US government not only circumvents WTO rules and imposes tariffs in many countries, including China, on the basis of US national laws, but also ignores the principles and regulations of the WTO on the treatment of developing countries and sets the relevant rules by itself.
▌ Faced with US hegemony, several members support the multilateral system
In the face of US hegemony, many WTO members have expressed their confidence and support for the multilateral trading system with practical actions. China, the European Union and 17 other WTO members have jointly established a multi-party interim appeals arbitration arrangement to maintain the functioning of the dispute settlement mechanism during the suspension of the Appellate Body and to handle disputes appealed by participating parties to through existing WTO arbitration procedures.
▌The United States has repeatedly blocked the normal functioning of the WTO
After the former Director-General of the WTO, Azevedo, announced his departure, the United States continued to obstruct the normal functioning of the WTO. Under WTO regulations, prior to the election of a new Director General in November, the General Council should have appointed a titular Deputy Director General as Acting Director General to temporarily lead the WTO. Currently, the four WTO Deputy Directors-General are from Nigeria, Germany, the United States and China. The United States insisted that the Deputy Director General of the United States, Alan Wolfe, be appointed Acting Director General. Many countries strongly opposed this and could only extend the terms of the current four Deputy Directors General and continue to carry out the existing administrative functions until the new Director General takes office. .
Regarding this result, Azevedo bluntly expressed his disappointment, saying that the WTO is on the verge of slipping into a state of non-leadership. Although the acting director-general only temporarily runs the WTO during the transition period, the United States still politicizes it, missing any opportunities that can control the WTO.
Since the WTO has established a rules-based trading system, if the United States withdraws, it must negotiate new trade agreements with other countries separately. Therefore, the United States does not hesitate to take the WTO as a “hostage”, trying to force other members to follow the wishes of the United States to reshape the WTO and turn it into a “puppet” in the service of the United States. (Head office reporter Zhu He)
