China said on Friday that it is giving $400,000 (283,000 euros) to help the world's poorest countries join the World Trade Organisation or participate in the trade body's activities. "The China programme will finance the internships for least-developed country candidates in the WTO's accessions division, which deals with countries applying to join the WTO," said the Chinese embassy to the WTO in a statement.
"It will also fund a WTO accession roundtable meeting and the participation of least-developed countries' delegates in selected WTO meetings that are a priority for them," it added. China's donation came just days ahead of a review conference of the WTO's Aid for Trade process, which was launched in 2005 to help developing countries build infrastructure to take full advantage of a successful world trade liberalisation deal.
Aid for trade encompasses grants and loans to build roads, ports and telecommunications, among others, as well as technical assistance in helping countries develop trade strategies or negotiate more effectively. Several heads of international organisations, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, World Bank President Robert Zoellick and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria, are expected to attend the two-day review conference opening Monday.