WTO members criticize US tariffs, urge stronger multilateral trade system

Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) criticized U.S. tariffs for hindering global trade, and called for a stronger multilateral trade system during the second General Council meeting of the WTO in 2025 held in Geneva, Switzerland from Tuesday to Wednesday.

The European Union on Wednesday placed an item on the agenda criticizing U.S. tariff measures for contributing to global trade fragmentation.

Representatives from Singapore and Switzerland, on behalf of the "Friends of the Multilateral Trading System" initiative, also added an agenda item, calling for strengthening the multilateral trading system to address the current turbulent trade situation.

The European Union said that the U.S. attempt to use tariffs, a microeconomic tool, to address its broad domestic macroeconomic imbalances is inappropriate.

All WTO members have been affected by the U.S. unilateral tariff measures. In addition, the lack of transparency in some of these actions has increased global trade uncertainty, disrupted supply chains, raised economic costs, and posed risks of fragmented trade rules. The European Union emphasized the need to fully utilize the WTO's transparency mechanisms and stressed that bilateral arrangements must comply with WTO rules, including those governing free trade agreements.

Members of the "Friends of the Multilateral Trading System" initiative said that since its establishment, the WTO has played an important role by providing an open, transparent, predictable, and non-discriminatory global trade framework.

In the current context of rising unilateralism and disrupted global supply chains, it is crucial for members to jointly uphold and strengthen the principles and rules of the WTO and to maintain open trade among one another, they said.

Members of the initiative called on WTO members to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, take bold collective actions, and advance deep reforms of the WTO to effectively address the current global trade situation.

Representatives from dozens of members, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia, spoke on behalf of over 100 WTO members to criticize the United States' unilateral tariff measures. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on the U.S. to engage in constructive dialogue with all parties.

WTO members criticize US tariffs, urge stronger multilateral trade system

China closed 2025 with a record of 92 space launches and major breakthroughs were made in manned space launches, deep space exploration and commercial launches, according to the China National Space Administration.

"In 2025, we created a new launch record, sending more than 300 satellites into planned orbits. Both the number of launches and the number of payloads placed in orbit have achieved qualitative leapfrog development," said Zhu Haiyang, an engineer with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

In 2025, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest single mission duration in the history of China's manned space program. Following the Shenzhou-20, the Shenzhou-21 achieved the fastest rendezvous and docking in the history of the Shenzhou mission in just three hours and a half.

Facing an unexpected technical situation with the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, China immediately activated emergency plans. Within 16 days, a series of maneuvers were accomplished including the launch of the Shenzhou-22 backup vehicle, presenting a "textbook model" for the international space community in effectively responding to unexpected emergencies.

In deep space exploration, the Tianwen-2 probe embarked on its journey for China's first asteroid exploration and sample-return mission in 2025.

Last year also saw intensive launch activities from multiple commercial rocket types, injecting strong momentum into the country's commercial space development.

As China has kicked off the first year of its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), a new blueprint for the country's space program is unfolding. Multiple tests are planned in preparation for future lunar exploration, as Chang'e-7 lunar probe is scheduled to be launched for the lunar south pole to search for evidence of water ice. The industry is also preparing for the maiden flights of several new rocket types, which will include the challenges to test rocket recovery and reusability technologies.

China closes 2025 with record 92 space launches