China’s Time of Taking Advantage Is Over! After Losing Special Status, 180M Workers Face Layoffs

Sep 30, 2025 - 09:52

On September 23, during the 80th United Nations General Assembly held at the UN headquarters in New York, China’s Premier acknowledged that China would no longer seek "special and differential treatment for developing countries" in current and future WTO negotiations.
This marks the 24th anniversary since China joined the WTO. For years, Western countries, including the United States, have pushed China to give up this privilege, citing its economic growth that no longer matches the criteria for such treatment. The Chinese government itself has even referred to China as the world's second-largest economy.