世界贸易组织所提倡的互惠互利原则，考虑了各国发展阶段的差别。在世界贸易组织框架下，发展中成员享有差别和更优惠待遇。这种制度安排是在尊重发展中国家和地区发展权的基础上，积极吸纳新的发展中成员加入，以扩大成员数量、增强多边体制的包容性，也体现了以当期优惠换取后期开放的互惠原则。对于发展中成员而言，由于其处于发展初期阶段，需要对产业适度保护以促进良性发展，其市场随经济发展扩大后，也将为发达国家带来更多商业机会。发展中成员享有差别和更优惠待遇，符合包括发达成员在内的各国各地区长期利益，这种制度安排是真正意义上的国际公平。2001年，中国通过多边谈判以发展中成员身份加入世界贸易组织，享受发展中成员待遇。十几年来，中国经济实现了快速发展，但仍然是一个发展中国家。由于中国有13.9亿人口，经济总量数据显得较为庞大，但这没有改变人均发展水平较低的现实。根据国际货币基金组织数据，2017年中国人均国内生产总值8643美元，仅为美国的14.5%，排在世界第71位。2017年末中国还有3046万农村贫困人口。仅以中国经济和贸易总规模较大为依据，要求中国和美国实现关税绝对对等是不合理的。美国追求绝对对等的做法，违背了世界贸易组织最惠国待遇和非歧视性原则（专栏1）。

The principle of reciprocity of the WTO takes into consideration different development stages by granting special and differential and more favorable treatment to developing members. This arrangement aims to attract new developing members, increase the WTO’s representation and enhance the inclusiveness of the multilateral system, while respecting the right to develop of developing countries and regions. It enshrines the principle of mutual benefit in exchanging present favors for future opening. Developing members that are in the initial stage of development need appropriate protection for their industries to promote sound growth, which will provide more opportunities for developed countries in time. This differential and more favorable treatment is in the long-term interests of all countries and regions, including developed members, and this is genuine global fairness. In 2001, China joined the WTO as a developing member and has been treated as such. It still remains a developing country even after more than a decade of rapid economic development. China’s large population of 1.39 billion dilutes massive economic figures to low levels on a per capita basis. According to IMF statistics, in 2017 the per capita GDP of China was US$8,643, only 14.5% of that of the US, and ranking 71st in the world. By the end of 2017 there were still 30.46 million rural people living in poverty. It is unfair to demand absolute equality in tariffs between China and the US simply on the grounds of China’s economic aggregate and trade volume. The absolute equality approach also violates the MFN and non-discrimination principles of the WTO (Box 1).

　　图表：专栏1 所谓“对等”开放不符合世界贸易组织非歧视性原则 新华社发

　　世界贸易组织所提倡的互惠互利原则，是各国就所有产业开放市场实现总体互惠和利益平衡，并非狭义局限于每个产业或产品承诺水平对等。由于资源禀赋、产业竞争力的差异，很难实现两个经济体绝对对等开放，不同产业关税水平是有差异的。如果按照美国绝对对等逻辑，美国自身也有大量不公平和不对等的情况。例如，中国对带壳花生、乳制品和货车征收的关税分别为15%、12%和15%-25%，而据世界贸易组织关税数据显示，美国相应的关税分别为163.8%、16%和25%，均高于中国（表2）。

　　图表：表2：中美部分关税税率对比 新华社发

The reciprocity and mutual benefit principle advocated by the WTO means overall reciprocity and balance of interests in market opening across all the industries of the members, rather than narrowly defined reciprocity of treatment for a specific industry or product. Given the differences in endowment and competitiveness, absolutely reciprocal opening would be virtually impossible, and tariffs in different industries diverge. Even if we follow this absolute reciprocity logic of the US, unfair and non-reciprocal practices are more than common in the US. For example, China’s tariffs on peanuts in the shell, dairy products and trucks are 15%, 12% and 15-25% respectively, while WTO tariff figures show those of the US to be 163.8%, 16% and 25%, all higher than China. (Table 2)

Table 2：Some Tariffs in China and in the US