In Yaounde, Cameroon, global trade tensions escalated as the World Trade Organization (WTO) failed to adopt key reforms. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer issued an ultimatum on reviving the e-commerce tariff moratorium, which ultimately expired.
China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao advocated for stability, warning that without WTO rules, global trade risks returning to a 'law of the jungle.' Despite rhetorical support for multilateralism, Beijing continues to leverage state subsidies, often undetected by current WTO frameworks.
While the US lashes out with tariffs, China maneuvers quietly but assertively. Both nations benefit as smaller economies face increasing vulnerability in a weakened multilateral system. Developing nations and middle powers like the UK and France express growing concern over trade imbalances and lack of institutional recourse.