Members also noted the substantial unilateral tariff reductions made in many sectors by China in recent years.

The WTO’s rules allow them plenty of scope: after two decades of unilateral tariff-cutting most of their tariffs are well below their “bound” rates, the ceilings agreed in the trade club.

Neither Contracting Party shall take unilateral action to prevent the coming into effect or continuation of a tariff charged or proposed to be charged by an airline of the other Contracting Party.