The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Friday released the 2025 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States, a stern assessment accusing Washington of undermining the multilateral trading system through trade bullying, double standards in industrial policy, and disruptions to global supply chains.

China's Ministry of Commerce on Friday released the 2025 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States, a stern assessment accusing Washington of undermining the multilateral trading system through trade bullying, double standards in industrial policy, and disruptions to global supply chains.

The report objectively outlines a series of US actions, including bypassing the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, unilaterally imposing "reciprocal tariffs," and introducing discriminatory trade measures, to help the international community clearly see Washington's wrongful practices. It aims to urge the US to return to a rules-based multilateral framework, fulfill its obligations, and safeguard fairness and stability in global trade, Chinese trade experts said.

The new report issued on Friday included an overall assessment of US compliance with its WTO obligations, specific concerns over US policies and measures, and the efforts of China and other WTO members to address Washington's non-compliance with WTO rules and its destruction of multilateralism.

This is the third time that MOFCOM has issued a report on WTO compliance by the US, with the first being released in August 2023 and the second in September 2024.

The United States, as both a key founder and major beneficiary of the multilateral trading system, should have set an example by honoring its commitments and safeguarding the authority and effectiveness of the system. However, driven by domestic political considerations and the desire to maintain its hegemony, the US has pursued an "America First" agenda, disregarded WTO rules and member expectations, and engaged in unilateralism, protectionism, and economic coercion — actions that have severely undermined the multilateral trading system, the report says in part one.

In part two, the report pointed out that Washington's practices have undermined the authority and efficacy of the WTO, disrupted the normal order of world trade and the economy, and harmed the common interests of the vast majority of WTO members.

It highlights 11 key areas where US trade practices violate WTO rules — including tariffs and non-tariff barriers, industrial and agricultural subsidies, trade remedies, standards and technical regulations, services, intellectual property, export controls and sanctions, investment reviews, "Buy American" policies, and discriminatory arrangements in international cooperation.

Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Friday that the released report systematically outlines how the US has repeatedly violated its commitments to the WTO. "As one of the WTO's founding and major members, the US should have played a leading role in safeguarding multilateral trade rules," Zhou said. "Instead, it has frequently imposed unilateral tariffs and abused economic tools for political purposes — actions that undermine global economic stability and damage the credibility of the multilateral system."

Zhou noted that the US has deliberately disregarded WTO principles such as non-discrimination and fair treatment through its arbitrary "reciprocal tariffs" and unilateral measures. "Such behavior shakes the foundation of the multilateral trading system," he said. "If the largest economy in the world breaks rules with impunity, other members may follow suit, leading to chaos and uncertainty in global trade."

He added that Washington's tariff hikes have distorted global supply chains and raised costs across industries. "Tariffs are not just a political signal — they are a direct tax on global production," Zhou said. "By weaponizing tariffs and supply chains, the US has not only hurt its partners but also its own industries and consumers, creating volatility in global markets and eroding trust in international cooperation."

Sun Xiaohong, secretary-general of the automotive internationalization professional committee under the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products told the Global Times that the US has often bypassed the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism by taking unilateral actions — such as imposing tariffs on Chinese fentanyl-related products, cars and auto parts, and applying Section 301 tariffs on multiple countries including China. "These are classic examples of unilateralism," he said, adding that such actions undermine the multilateral trading system.

He added that the US has also rolled out a series of discriminatory policies, such as imposing tariffs as high as 50 percent on steel and aluminum products from certain countries, in clear violation of the WTO's most-favored-nation principle. "The so-called 'reciprocal tariffs' have no basis in WTO rules and reflect Washington's subjective view of trade balance," Sun said. "Such measures undermine tariff commitments among WTO members and heighten global trade tensions."

The report is not intended merely as criticism, but as a call for the US to return to the rules-based system it helped establish — and for all members to jointly uphold fairness and stability in global trade, experts said.

"The move aims to increase international pressure on the US to recognize the damage its actions have caused to the multilateral trading system," Sun said, China urges Washington to abide by WTO rules, fulfill its obligations, and remove its wrongful measures — not only to protect China's trade interests, but also to uphold the authority and effectiveness of the WTO-centered multilateral system.

Since 2023, China has released annual reports assessing the US' fulfillment of its WTO obligations, voicing concerns over Washington's disruption of the multilateral trading system through trade bullying, double standards in industrial policy, and actions that destabilize global supply chains, said an official from the Department of WTO Affairs under MOFCOM.

Despite repeated calls for compliance, the US has continued to escalate unilateral and discriminatory measures, impose so-called "reciprocal tariffs," and launch trade wars, severely undermining the rules-based multilateral system. The newly issued 2025 report reiterates China's serious concerns over these practices, said the official.