Major Economies'Positions on WTO Reform from the Perspective of Relational Network Theory
Since the Uruguay Round,there has been a gradual differentiation in the attitudes and positions of major economies towards multilateral trade liberalisation.The reform of the WTO faces the problem of collective action.This paper uses the relational network theory,proposed by Stacie E.Goddard in 2018,to explain the reasons behind the behaviour and position of various states.The theory views inter-state agreements and institutions as a network of relations,and argues that a country's position in the network affects its costs and benefits under different reform strategies,which shapes its attitude and position towards multilateralism.Through the different combinations of the variables"access"and"agency",this paper classifies the trade policies of different economies into four basic types:limited reform;rule-based reform;relying only on domestic strength to safeguard its interests;and exit.According to this model,this paper draws the following conclusions:the increase in a country's share in total trade volume will enhances its ability to participate in multilateral trade governance,and therefore strengthen its support for WTO reform;signing more bilateral and regional FTAs can enlarge a country's social capital,thereby increasing its autonomy in strategic choices.In addition,this paper empirically examines the evolution of trade policy in five major economies:the United States,China,the European Union,Brazil,and India.The analysis shows that the European Union and China are the main forces driving WTO reform,that India is a potential contributor,while Brazil's stance on the WTO reform will be more similar to that of developed economies.However,whether the WTO reform can be successful depends on the attitude of the United States.This paper not only helps to illustrate the positions of major economies on WTO reform theoretically,but also has practical implications in understanding the dynamics of cooperation within the WTO in reality.
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