China welcomes WTO interim arrangements on e-commerce agreement: commerce minister

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has expressed support for the adoption of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement on e-commerce with interim arrangements announced on Saturday.

In his written remarks, Wang highlighted that the WTO Agreement on Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce Agreement) establishes global rules for digital trade, which will effectively promote more inclusive and sustainable digital growth.

China supports the timely implementation of the agreement and hopes WTO can play a greater role in shaping digital trade rules in the future, Wang added.

On Saturday, the co-conveners of the WTO negotiations on e-commerce -- Australia, Japan, and Singapore -- issued a joint statement in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, announcing the establishment of interim arrangements for the E-Commerce Agreement.

At the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) on Saturday, 66 WTO members, including China, announced that the interim arrangements would provide a pathway to bring the E-Commerce Agreement into force, while continuing to work towards its incorporation into the WTO legal framework of rules.

The E-Commerce Agreement, a significant milestone for the WTO in recent years, will enter into force for those members that have accepted it, after 45 members have deposited their instruments of acceptance, according to the joint statement. ■