According to the agreement signed when China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), China should be given market economy treatment automatically in December this year – the 14th anniversary of its accession to the WTO.

However, there is growing opposition from the Europe and the US because once China is accorded the market economy status (MES), then it will be increasingly difficult for other major economies to bring anti-dumping cases against China.

ANBOUND's research team is of the view that the question of whether China should be accorded MES is no longer a simple trade issue, but rather against the backdrop of global economic downturn, this issue has been politicalized.