Posted: Friday, October 17, 2025. 4:45 pm CST.
By Zoila Palma: World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is calling on the United States and China to ease rising trade tensions, warning that a prolonged decoupling between the world’s two largest economies could reduce global economic output by up to 7% in the long term.
In an interview with Reuters, Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO had reached out to both sides to encourage dialogue amid escalating tariffs and restrictions.
The WTO chief expressed deep concern over the renewed trade dispute, which flared up after China imposed export controls on rare earth metals and U.S. President Donald Trump announced new 100% tariffs on Chinese imports starting next month.
She cautioned that the ongoing conflict threatens not only the two countries but also global trade stability and financial security, emphasizing that “escalating tensions remain a serious risk.”
The WTO recently cut its 2026 global trade growth forecast from 1.8% to 0.5%, citing delayed effects of U.S. tariffs.
Despite the turbulence, Okonjo-Iweala highlighted that 72% of global trade still operates under WTO rules, showing resilience in the multilateral trading system. However, she urged member countries to use the current crisis as an opportunity to reform and modernize the WTO, making it more responsive to new areas such as digital trade, services, and green economies.
“Global problems cannot be solved by any one country alone,” she said. “We need stronger cooperation to safeguard trade and global growth.”
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The post International News: World Trade Organization chief urges U.S. and China to de-escalate trade war appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, October 17, 2025. 4:45 pm CST. By Zoila Palma: World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is calling on the United States and China
The post International News: World Trade Organization chief urges U.S. and China to de-escalate trade war appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
