2001年加入世界贸易组织后中国被要求大幅放宽其进口管制，于是该国将平均进口关税税率从1990年代后期的15％降至2006年的约5％并减少了许多非关税进口壁垒，例如对哪些公司可以合法从事国际贸易的限制。
Accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001 required China to liberalize its import regime substantially. The country cut its average import tariff rate from 15% in the late 1990s to about 5% by 2006, and reduced many non-tariff import barriers, such as restrictions on which firms could legally engage in international trade.