今年是中国加入世界贸易组织（WTO）的第18年。加入WTO让中国在世界上有了新的地位，也标志着改革开放的新阶段。

This year marks the 18th anniversary of China’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). The step offered China a new place at the table of nations and marked a new stage of reform and opening-up.

2001年12月11日，中国正式加入世贸组织，成为第143个成员。WTO是处理成员间贸易规则的国际组织。核心是WTO协定，世界上大多数国家协商并签署了该协定。WTO目标是帮助成员更高效、更公平地进行商务往来。

On Dec 11, 2001, China formally became the WTO’s 143rd member. The WTO is the global international organization that deals with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by a majority of the world’s trading nations. The goal is to help countries do business effectively and fairly. 

比如，WTO鼓励对进出口产品削减关税。此举帮助中国公司向外国市场销售出更多货物。

For example, the WTO encourages cutting tariffs on imported and exported products. This helps Chinese companies sell more goods on the foreign market.

帕斯卡尔•拉米曾在2005年-2013年担任世界贸易组织总干事，他表示，中国加入WTO，成为了国际贸易中的重要角色。据《中国日报》报道，自从加入WTO后，中国的国内生产总值总量几乎增长十倍，从2001年的1.34万亿美元，增长到2018年的13.28万亿美元。

Pascal Lamy, WTO director-general from 2005 to 2013, said that with its accession, China became a major player in international trade. Since joining the WTO, China’s GDP has grown nearly tenfold, from $1.34 trillion in 2001 to $13.28 trillion in 2018, reported China Daily.

同时，中国成为全球经济增长的主要引擎。从2002年开始，中国对世界经济增长的平均贡献率接近30%。

Meanwhile, China has become a major engine for global economic growth, and since 2002, its contribution to such expansion has been nearly 30 percent on average.

拉米对《中国日报》表示，中国因为与其他国家地区的自由贸易而受益，而后者也同样因和中国的自由贸易而获益，实现了双赢。

The country benefits rom free trade with the rest of the world, and the rest of the world benefits from free trade with China, so it is a win-win situation, Lamy told China Daily.