On June 3, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Mini-Ministerial Meeting was held in Paris, France. Ministers or representatives from over 20 WTO members—including China, the United States, the European Union, and Australia—as well as WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, attended the meeting. Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao participated in the meeting and delivered remarks.

Wang emphasized that the WTO is a vital pillar of multilateralism and a key platform for global economic governance. He noted that the unilateral tariff measures taken by a certain member run counter to the principles and rules of the WTO, and undermine the foundations of the multilateral trading system. “There are no winners in trade wars,” Wang said. “Only through solidarity can we achieve mutual benefit, and only through cooperation can we make progress together.” He urged all parties to appropriately address the global trade disorder triggered by unilateral tariff actions, and to resolve trade disputes through dialogue and consultation on equal footing under the WTO framework. Wang informed the meeting that China had submitted the Statement on Supporting the Multilateral Trading System under the Current Situation to the WTO, and expressed China’s willingness to work with all parties to safeguard international economic and trade order, stabilize global trade, and bring more stability and predictability to the world economy.
Wang further stated that while the WTO faces significant challenges, it also holds opportunities. Members should seize this critical moment and turn challenges into opportunities through necessary reforms. He stressed the need to prioritize key areas, identifying the decision-making mechanism as a central focus and entry point in reform. He called for the Investment Facilitation Agreement and the E-Commerce Agreement to be incorporated into the WTO’ s legal framework as soon as possible. Wang also underscored the importance of responding to the demands of the times by initiating discussions and negotiations in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, trade, and environment. He emphasized that development must remain at the core of the WTO agenda, and urged progress in resolving issues related to agriculture and food security. He further stressed the urgency of restoring the normal functioning of the dispute settlement mechanism to effectively strengthen the organization’s authority.
Participants at the meeting widely expressed concern over the current turbulence in global trade. They highlighted the essential role of the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core in supervising unilateral tariff measures and maintaining international economic and trade order. Members reaffirmed their commitment to supporting multilateralism, advancing WTO reform, and working toward a successful outcome at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14).
During the meeting, Wang held bilateral talks with ministers from the European Union, Canada, Australia, and France, as well as with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. He also had brief exchanges with ministers from Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Thailand, and Indonesia, discussing key issues in bilateral trade relations and matters related to the WTO’ s work.