Revocation of China's Most Favored Nation status violates WTO rules: white paper

The United States' push to revoke China's Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, or the Most Favored Nation (MFN) treatment permanently, violates the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to a white paper released by China's State Council Information Office on Wednesday.

The white paper, titled "China's Position on Some Issues Concerning China-US Economic and Trade Relations", aims to clarify the facts about the bilateral economic and trade relations between the two countries and lay out China's position on relevant issues.

The white paper said that the PNTR status is the ballast of China-U.S. economic and trade relations.

The U.S. push to revoke China's PNTR status represents a clear instance of unilateralism and trade protectionist practices, which violates WTO rules and undermines China-U.S. relations and the global economic order, it said.

According to the white paper, WTO rules require its members to unconditionally grant MFN treatment to all other members, a requirement that has binding legal force.

Over the past two decades, the PNTR has served to stabilize China-U.S. economic and trade relations. Revoking China's PNTR status will see China-U.S. economic and trade relations returning to the uncertainty and unpredictability that preceded China's accession to the WTO in 2001, warned the white paper.

China opposes any unilateralist and protectionist acts that sabotage the multilateral trading system and hopes that the U.S. will be clearly aware of the possible harm caused by its attempt to revoke China's MFN status, the white paper said.

The white paper called on the U.S. to work constructively with the overwhelming majority of WTO members in safeguarding a fair and reasonable global economic and trade order and environment.

Revocation of China's Most Favored Nation status violates WTO rules: white paper

Rescinding China's most favored nation status undermines foundation of China-US trade relations: white paper

Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has called on Venezuelans to defense national sovereignty on Saturday against Washington's intention to temporarily "run" the South American nation after the U.S. forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.

Rodriguez was appointed by Venezuela's Supreme Court after Maduro was flown out of the country by U.S. forces.

In an address aired on Caracas-based news network teleSUR, Rodriguez condemned the U.S. operation as an act of aggression that resulted in casualties among Venezuelan military personnel and civilians. She demanded the immediate release of Maduro and called on people to unite in defense of the country's sovereignty.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States would "run" Venezuela temporarily to ensure what he described as a secure transition. He said that major U.S. oil companies would be permitted to enter the Venezuelan market.

The U.S. action in Venezuela has drawn criticism both at home and abroad.

Several U.S. lawmakers publicly opposed or questioned the military action, while protests were held in a number of American cities including New York, Washington, and Los Angeles.

In Caracas, Venezuelans also gathered on Saturday to condemn the U.S. trikes.

Venezuelan acting president urges sovereignty defense against US takeover threat