Full text of Chinese commerce minister's signed article on People's Daily

Since its accession to the WTO, China has made important contributions to the world.

Accession to the WTO has boosted China's development and benefited the rest of the world. President Xi Jinping once noted, "When assessing China's development, one should not only see what benefits the Chinese people have gained, but also how much hard effort they have put in; not just what achievements China has made, but also what contribution China has made to the world."

Over the past 17 years since it became a member to the WTO, China has opened its door wider and wider, promoted reform and growth through opening-up and contributed greatly and continuously to the world. China has added impetus to the world economy. Acceding to the WTO has markedly widened the room of opening up in the country. China has comprehensively deepened opening up and international cooperation, and pressed ahead with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Trade and investment in China have soared, fueling growth in the world economy. Between 2001 and 2007, the value of goods and services imports totaled $20 trillion and $3.7 trillion respectively. China's foreign direct investment and outward direct investment exceeded $1.1 trillion and $1.6 trillion respectively, creating plenty of trade and investment opportunities as well as jobs.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China has become the main stabilizer and powerhouse of the world economy, with its contribution to global growth surpassing 30 percent. China has made global development more inclusive. Upholding the fundamental principles of openness, transparency, inclusiveness, and non-discrimination of the multilateral trading system, China is committed to sharing benefits of economic globalization among different countries, groups and communities.

China takes the initiative to open up its market by announcing the China International Import Expo to be hosted as a new platform for countries to share the dividend of China's development. China has become a key trading partner for more than 120 countries and regions, and accorded zero tariff treatment on 97 percent of tariff lines to 36 least developed countries (LDCs) that have diplomatic relations with China and completed the exchange of notes.

China has offered more assistance to developing countries, especially the LDCs, to help them better integrate into the global value chain. China has helped improve the global economic governance system. China advocates equal consultation and cooperation and advocates an open world economy.

China supports the WTO, G20, APEC, BRICS and other multilateral and regional mechanisms in playing a bigger role, and developing countries in gaining greater representation and say in international business affairs. China has put forward more initiatives, plans and proposals, offering wisdom and strength to a more fair and reasonable global economic governance system.