-
Liz Truss said to G7 that Britain wants WTO reform now

FILE PHOTO: Britain's International Trade Secretary Liz Truss arrives at Downing Street in London, Britain February 11, 2020.
REUTERS/HANNAH MCKAY
Britain will tell G7 allies that it is "now or never" for the World Trade Organization, to reform and strengthen its rulebook to stop global trade fragmenting.
Trade minister Liz Truss will on Thursday and Friday host a virtual meeting of G7 trade ministers, joined by WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and other business representatives.
Britain wants to use its role as president of the G7 this year to get an agreement among the group of wealthy nations to share more information and support the WTO to take other steps to punish industrial subsidies and other unfair practices.
Truss has previously heavily criticised China's use of subsidies, and will repeat calls for the WTO to make good on promises to modernise its rulebook.
"It really is now or never for the World Trade Organisation," she will say when she opens the meeting.
"Like-minded democracies need to lead the charge on trade reform, because if we don't then there is a very real danger that global trade fragments and that fewer countries end up playing by the rules."
China, a WTO member since 2001, denies criticism from Britain that it steals intellectual property, unfairly hurts the environment and exports goods made with forced labour.
Other G7 allies, including U.S. President Joe Biden, agree on the need to reform the WTO and address China's rising global influence. The problem is finding a solution that all sides agree on.
(Reporting by William James)
Reuters, MAY 26, 2021 / 5:36 PM
Image Ownership Reuters
Tags
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!