Long Yongtu, chief negotiator for China's WTO Accession, has spotlighted China's significant progress in institutional opening-up. Speaking to China Daily website in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the 2025 SEE Qingdao Forum, he discussed the shift from aligning with international rules during its WTO accession to actively building the global institutional framework through the Belt and Road Initiative, demonstrating China's expanding role in shaping international cooperation.