A delegation of senior diplomats from 19 countries attended a training session at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing on Tuesday as part of a World Trade Organization (WTO) reform seminar organized by China's Permanent Mission to the WTO and the Academy for International Business Officials under the Ministry of Commerce.

The delegation included ambassadors and deputy representatives to the WTO from Cameroon, Nigeria, Cambodia, Kazakhstan and other countries. The training centered on the theme "WTO Reform: History, Theory and Practice."

Huang Baoyin, secretary of the CPC UIBE Committee, welcomed the delegation and introduced the university's history and research strengths in multilateral trade.

Founded in 1951, UIBE has kept pace with China's opening-up drive, Huang said. Many of its faculty members and alumni have been deeply engaged in policy research, trade negotiations and talent development during China’s efforts to restore its status in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and later accede to the WTO.

UIBE’s China Institute for WTO Studies, a key research base designated by the Ministry of Education, hosts a WTO Chairs Programme. The university offers an English-taught master's program in WTO law and economics for officials from developing countries, runs foreign-aid training programs for the Ministry of Commerce, and has developed a global value chain database adopted and recommended by the WTO.

Huang emphasized the importance of trade rules for developing members as the multilateral trading system faces challenges. Drawing on the spirit of the BRICS Leaders' Meeting, he proposed cooperation across four dimensions: intellectual support, talent training, joint research and youth exchanges. He called for stronger academic collaboration to help developing members take a more effective part in shaping international trade rules..

The session also featured lectures by Yang Guohua, a professor at Tsinghua University, and Ji Wenhua, a professor at UIBE. Li Xiaomeng, director of UIBE’s Department of International Relations, moderated the event.

The visit came as UIBE marks its 75th anniversary. Huang said that the university has grown alongside China's opening-up and gained strength from international cooperation. UIBE stands ready to work with partners worldwide to contribute to an open world economy, he added.