CHINA has urged the European Union to uphold its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations on China’s “market economy status,” the country’s commerce ministry said Friday.

    The ministry’s remarks come after EU lawmakers Thursday overwhelmingly rejected any loosening of the bloc’s trade defenses against China without reforms of its economy, including a reduction of State influence over business.

    The EU is debating whether to grant China “market economy status” from December this year, which the Chinese Government says is its right 15 years after joining the WTO.

    (SD-Agencies)