BEIJING: China has said it would no longer seek the special treatment given to developing countries in World Trade Organization agreements — a change long demanded by the United States. Commerce Ministry officials said Wednesday the move was an attempt to boost the global trading system at a time when it is under threat from tariff wars and protectionist moves by individual countries to restrict imports. They did not mention the United States by name or President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on many other countries this year, including China.

China relinquishes special treatment in WTO agreements, signaling a shift in its status as a developing country.

Developing nation status is self-declared and provides various benefits to WTO members, including longer time frames to implement agreements.