Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACEE, 11/25/15


U.S. commerce and trade officials have reached a consensus with their counterparts in China regarding four key areas of the commercial relationship of the two nations.

The conclusion of the 26th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) featured new understandings on intellectual property rights and enforcement, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, competition policy and technology policy, the U.S. Commerce Dept. announced. USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack, Commerce Sec. Penny Pritzker and

U.S. Trade Rep. Michael Froman represented U.S. interests at the meetings in Guangzhou, China. Negotiators reached understandings on:
• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection and enforcement to increase information sharing between the two countries;
• The elimination of pharmaceutical and medical device application backlogs and improving the time it takes to get the products available to Chinese patients;
• Progress on China’s enforcement of its Anti-Monopoly Law to prevent information from being leaked to other Chinese agencies; and
• Firming up China’s commitment to nondiscriminatory and transparent policies for information security and adding regulation for review by World Trade Organization (WTO) members.

The JCCT understandings cover such industries as agriculture (soybeans), steel and aluminum, fisheries, timber and wildlife in addition to food safety issues, the agency reported.

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