China and the WTO: On a path to leadership?

This chapter considers whether China has embarked on a path to WTO leadership since its historic accession in 2001. It argues that in contrast to the past, China is increasingly displaying the will to lead, an essential prerequisite for state leadership. China’s trajectory towards WTO leadership is analyzed by identifying signs of its will to lead – in its rhetoric, its participation and its initiatives. The chapter maintains that indications of China’s will to lead are evident, for example, in its strong support of globalization and the multilateral trading system (not trivial given US policy since the advent of Trump), China’s continuing endorsement of the Doha Round negotiations (in contrast to other members that have declared the talks dead), and its initiation of talks on investment facilitation and active participation in talks on electronic commerce. At the same time, other factors are holding it back. For one, it is still learning how to lead in the WTO, despite moving considerably up the learning curve. More significantly, evidence of the willingness of other members to follow is presently limited. The chapter aims at offering insight into China’s behavior as a leader in the WTO, and the future leadership role it may play in the changing international trade environment, in which it is paradoxically taking over as the champion of an open global trading system, and possibly replacing US leadership in global economic governance.