USCBC Praises Progress Made at US-China Talks in Beijing

WASHINGTON, DC, December 11, 2007 - The US-China Business Council (USCBC) today praised the progress US and PRC negotiators made on various issues important to US companies at the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) talks in Beijing.

"The track record of JCCT outcomes built up over the years demonstrates that these talks achieve concrete results that benefit US companies, workers, and the US economy," said John Frisbie, USCBC president. "While many issues remain on the table, the gains made would not happen without this kind of dialogue."

The USCBC's regularly updated chart of JCCT outcomes is available at www.uschina.org/public/documents/2007/12/china-jcct-commitments.pdf

Achievements at this year's talks reportedly included

Two agreements to combat the production of counterfeit pharmaceuticals;
On intellectual property rights protection, an agreement to strengthen China's laws to protect against the misuse of company names;
An agreement on tourism that will make it easier for Chinese tour groups to travel to the United States;
On product safety, agreements to register exporters of food products and animal feed from China and certify the safety of PRC-registered products, and certify exporters of medical devices and pharmaceuticals from China as meeting US safety standards;
The establishment of a public-private sector forum to increase the usage of environmental protection technologies in China;
An agreement to cooperate on development, production, and use of biofuels; and
Resumption of pork exports to China from six US producers.

The US Trade Representative's Fact Sheet is available at www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Fact_Sheets/2007/asset_upload_file239_13686.pdf

The USCBC (www.uschina.org) is the leading organization of US companies engaged in business with the People's Republic of China. Founded in 1973, the USCBC provides extensive China-focused information, advisory, and advocacy services, along with events, to more than 250 US corporations operating within the United States and throughout Asia.