China formally joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 11 December 2001, during the organization’s ministerial meeting in Doha. On the same occasion, trade ministers, including those of China, reaffirmed their commitment to the objective of sustainable development. Reflecting that the three pillars generally accepted to define sustainable development, this paper conducts an integrated analysis of the economic, environmental, and social effects of China’s WTO accession and the linkages between them. Through this analysis, it tries to identify the challenges that China faces today in achieving sustainable development. It also proposes a set of policy responses that could be adopted by the Chinese government to offset harmful effects of the country’s accession to the WTO and to promote its positive outcomes in the context of sustainable development.
Journal of World Trade