A List as a Weapon

The author is a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation

A notice issued by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in the Federal Register on February 10 revised the list of developing and least developed economies in the countervailing duty (CVD) law. Since the revision didn’t include China, some may conclude that the U.S. now considers China a developed country. But is this really the case?

The list designates members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that are entitled to special treatment for purposes of countervailing measures. The change is the first since it was published in 1998. Thus, according to the list,