WTO chief says targeting China in trade reforms 'will not work'

BRUSSELS - China will be more willing to participate in global trade reforms if it does not feel being targeted by other countries, said the World Trade Organization(WTO) chief.

According to a Reuters report, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala made the remarks at a conference on Monday hosted by the European Commission.

The United States, European Union and Japan are pushing for curbs on state support for industrial subsidies to address concerns about China's state-owned enterprises, the report said.

However, their proposals need to be unanimously approved by all members of the WTO.

The WTO head considered the dealings she has had with China "very constructive," saying that China would be more receptive if it saw the WTO addressing other types of subsidies.

China has said it would be more ready to discuss industrial subsidies if talks are also extended to agricultural subsidies prevalent in the West.

Currently, the WTO is working with other parties on a study on overall subsidies to "put some objective facts on the table," Okonjo-Iweala said.