{"text":[[{"start":13.58,"text":"US trade representative Jamieson Greer has warned that the World Trade Organization will play only a “limited role” in future global policy after talks this week on reforming the body ended in failure, a signal of the body’s growing marginalisation."}],[{"start":30.380000000000003,"text":"The criticism follows Greer’s return to Washington from Cameroonian capital Yaoundé, where four days of negotiation over modernising the WTO collapsed late on Sunday."}],[{"start":43.18000000000001,"text":"“I have always been skeptical of the value of the WTO, and this week’s conference confirmed that this organization will play only a limited role in future global trade policy efforts,” Greer said in a statement, adding that he was “disappointed at the lack of seriousness of many members”."}],[{"start":62.120000000000005,"text":"Talks on the broader reform agenda for the WTO, including efforts to tackle subsidies and implementing agreements on digital trade and investment in developing countries, were stalled by an acrimonious stand-off over ecommerce tariffs."}],[{"start":80.12,"text":"The crunch meeting came as other members raised concerns about the Geneva-based body’s ability to meet contemporary challenges to the global trading system, with the EU’s trade commissioner warning that it risked fading into irrelevance in the lead-up to the talks in Cameroon."}],[{"start":97.7,"text":"While the US had hoped for an indefinite extension of a 28-year moratorium on ecommerce tariffs, it was blocked by Brazil and the meeting ended without a consensus. "}],[{"start":108.88,"text":"The body also failed to adopt a plan for reform that ministers had said was essential for modernising the WTO, which has been hit by US President Donald Trump’s tariff war and tensions caused by China’s $1tn trade surplus. "}],[{"start":124.53,"text":"Greer called the lapse of the moratorium “particularly frustrating” and said the US would work outside the WTO to create a so-called plurilateral agreement on ecommerce tariffs, with like-minded states implementing the deal among themselves."}],[{"start":141.17000000000002,"text":"He said the US had secured commitments from dozens of countries to reject tariffs on digital transmissions."}],[{"start":148.67000000000002,"text":"“If the WTO cannot achieve this commonsense aim, the United States will work outside of the WTO with all interested partners to get it done,” Greer said."}],[{"start":161.16000000000003,"text":"Diplomats present in Cameroon said the US had been willing to reduce its demands to an extension of just a few years on the ecommerce tariff pause, but Brazil had refused to go beyond two years."}],[{"start":174.04000000000002,"text":"Greer also complained about the lack of trade ministers in attendance at the meeting."}],[{"start":181.54000000000002,"text":"“I, along with many ministers, left my capital during a particularly busy time and traveled long distances to participate in this ministerial, given its potential significance,” Greer said. "}],[{"start":194.94000000000003,"text":"“I was disappointed that so few of my counterparts attended, despite their repeated assertions that the WTO is ‘at the core’ of the global trading system.”"}],[{"start":217.62000000000003,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1774946694_7601.mp3"}