WTO chief - China to join drive on e-commerce rules

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevedo said on Friday that China had announced it would be a co-sponsor of an initiative by nearly half of the WTO's members to start negotiating this year on new rules for e-commerce.

Azevedo was speaking after a meeting of trade ministers in Davos which was not attended by the United States, but he told reporters this was "not any sign of a lack of (U.S.) engagement". President Donald Trump has been a harsh critic of the WTO.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara, writing by Mark Trevelyan)