Publication

Drawing on case studies of China's WTO trade disputes in the automobile and wind turbine sectors, this paper argues that China’s compliance with WTO rulings reflects Beijing’s skillful navigation through the WTO’s dispute-resolution process rather than compliance with international norms. The author shows how China does this by first liberally implementing industrial policies and then removing them after the WTO challenges their use. By the time China removes the challenged measures, it often no longer needs them. In this matter, the country achieves its goals and can still build up a reputation as a responsible WTO member who complies with the organization’s rulings.