China has announced it will no longer seek special treatment as a developing country in WTO agreements, a change long urged by the US. This decision aims to strengthen the global trading system amid rising protectionism. The WTO director-general praised the move as significant for reform. European officials welcomed the decision but emphasized the need for China to relinquish its developing-country status in existing agreements. China, while a middle-income country, has become a significant source of loans and assistance for infrastructure projects in other nations.