ZHANG XIANGCHEN, China’s vice minister of commerce, is among the four new deputy directors-general (DDGs) appointed by World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Tuesday.

The other three newly appointed DDGs are: Angela Ellard of the United States, and Anabel Gonzalez of Costa Rica and Jean-Marie Paugam of France.

China welcomes the appointment of the four DDGs, which will help strengthen the management of the WTO Secretariat, said a spokesperson with China’s Ministry of Commerce yesterday, adding that Zhang’s appointment testifies to his own ability and confirms China’s active and constructive role in the WTO over the years.

Zhang served as China’s Permanent Representative to the WTO from 2017 to 2020, accumulating long-term study and experience on the WTO, international trade negotiations and other issues.

He spoke on China’s position on the special and differential treatment, market-oriented conditions and other issues of developing countries during the WTO General Council Meeting in December last year.

“It’s always hard to part, especially after three years and eight months, in which together, we pulled through the challenging times in the history of the multilateral trading system. I cherish our friendship greatly and hope that our paths will cross again in the future,” said Zhang, who was leaving the post as China’s Permanent Representative to the WTO at the time.(CGTN)