After more than 15 years of intensive negotiations, China joined the World Trade Organization in December 2001. This was a major advance for the global trading regime. In this exclusive commentary series, a select group of experts discuss what China’s accession has meant for the global trade system, examine how it has impacted China and consider the challenges to come in the next decade.

The return of market volatility has shaken the confidence of a fragile recovery. How are leading economies responding? Is the current turmoil giving way to another free-fall in global markets? Are the international governance mechanisms, established after the last crisis, up to the task of averting another crises? What can the major powers do? In this timely commentary series, CIGI experts examine these key issues, and offer recommendations for policy makers looking to restabilize the world economy.