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It is no secret that one of the main pillars of strength of the WTO trading system since its inception has been the successful performance of the WTO dispute settlement system. Developing countries' support of, and participation in, the system has been one of the major reasons for this success. Indeed, developing countries have been actively involved in the day-to-day operation of the WTO dispute settlement system from the very beginning, both as users of the system and as a source for adjudicators in the system. In the case of China, there is little doubt that China's entry into the rules-based system of the WTO, where the rules are enforced through an effective dispute settlement mechanism, has been a major contributing factor to China's stunning economic success in recent years

As we approach a key Ministerial meeting in Geneva in the coming weeks that could well determine the ultimate fate of the Doha Round and by extension ongoing negotiations to clarify and improve the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding, the international dialogue being held this week in Beijing on WTO dispute settlement and the experience of developing countries with that system could not take place at a more opportune time.

In light of this, I would like to congratulate the organizers of this conference and all those who assisted them for putting together such a terrific program that will undoubtedly provide useful insights into the past and thoughtful suggestions for moving forward, particularly in the ongoing negotiations on the DSU. So to everyone involved in this important international dialogue, I wish you a productive exchange of ideas. I look forward to receiving the benefit of your views on this important topic. And most of all, I wish to thank everyone involved in this dialogue for their continuing support of the WTO.

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