2.WTO and China

The World Trade Organization (WTO，世界贸易组织)is designed to supervise and liberalize world trade.The WTO is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT,关税及贸易总协定).The WTO came into being on January 1, 1995, with 104 countries as its founding members.The WTO is charged with policing member countries'adherence to all prior GATT agreements, including those of the last major GATT trade conference, the Uruguay Round(1986-1994), at whose conclusion GATT had formally gone out of existence.The WTO is also responsible for negotiating and implementing new trade agreements. The WTO is governed by a Ministerial Conference, which meets every two years; a General Council, which implements the conference's policy decisions and is responsible for day-to-day administration; and a director-general, who is appointed by the Ministerial Conference.The WTO's headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.

After long negotiations with its major members, China is now a member of the WTO.China has to be faced with grim challenges as well as great opportunities.And as a large country in the East,China will make her contribution to economic globalization.

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Exercise One

Directions:Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1.The WTO is designed to supervise and liberalize world trade.

2.The WTO is responsible for negotiating and implementing new trade agreements.

3.The Ministerial Conference meets once a year.

4.The General Council implements the conference's policy decisions.

5.The WTO's headquarters are in Bern, Switzerland.

Exercise Two

Directions:Answer the following questions.

1.When did the WTO come into being?

2.How many founding members does WTO have?

3.Can you list some responsibilities of the WTO?