On November 6, the Seminar on the World Trade Report 2025 and Launch of Its Chinese Edition, a parallel session of the 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum was held successfully in Shanghai. Director of the WTO Department of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce Han Yong, WTO Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill and President of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies Ma Jianchun attended and addressed the event online and in-person. This event was hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, organized by SUIBE, and supported by the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies.
Han Yong stated that the multilateral trading system serves as an institutional guarantee for developing countries to integrate deeply into the global artificial intelligence (AI) value chain. China advocates for making the WTO a key platform for trade and AI governance, calls on members to implement the WTO Agreement on E-Commerce at an early date, and actively explores the establishment of rules in critical fields such as cross-border data flows and source code protection so as to provide an open, stable, and predictable policy environment for AI to empower trade and ensure that all parties share the development opportunities brought by technological progress.
Johanna Hill noted that AI is reshaping the economic and social landscape, presenting significant opportunities for world development. According to projections by the WTO Secretariat, AI has the potential to boost global services trade by nearly 40% and increase global economic growth by 12% to 13% by 2040. The WTO is committed to promoting market openness for AI-related goods and services, enhancing international AI regulatory cooperation and coordination, and collaborating with other international organizations to ensure AI is inclusive and benefits all.
Ma Jianchun emphasized that all countries should enhance coordination in regulatory policies and increase support for developing countries, especially the least developed countries, in areas such as digital access and capacity building, to jointly bridge the digital divide.
The World Trade Report is WTO’s annual flagship publication, providing cutting-edge research and analysis on pressing issues in the global economy and trade each year. The theme of the 2025 report is “Making trade and AI work together to the benefit of all”.
Translated by Ding Shuang