KEY MILESTONES

1986 US, Japan and European nations thwart China's entry; ask it to reform first 1995 WTO formed with 123 countries at Marrakesh, Morocco. 2001 Doha Development Round starts

China joins WTO as full member 2016 Donald Trump becomes US president,

pulls out of Trans-Pacific Partnership Nov 2017 US, India, Australia and Japan form Quadrilateral to challenge China in Asia and Africa Feb 2018 US hikes tariffs on steel and aluminum imports 1946 GATT, World Bank & IMF formed. GATT is a platform to discuss trade and tariff issues.

1986

Uruguay Round begins. Countries agree to start negotiations extending the trading system to services, intellectual property, agriculture and textiles 1992 EU, US sign Blair Accord

– ironing out differences in the agriculture sector 1995 China gets observer status

2015

At Nairobi Ministerial, the western world starts backtracking on commitments made at Doha May2017 China starts a huge trade-infrastructure programme: One Belt One Road Dec 2017 In Buenos Aires, the US

and the EU say the WTO must reform the dispute redressal mechanism. Without naming India and China, the US objects to top five GDP nations getting differential treatment; talks collapse Mar 2018

US moves WTO against India's export centric programmes Informal ministerial ends in New Delhi without breaking ice.