071213 US Pushing China On Farm Trade & Product Safety

Washington - The United States will push China to open its markets to more U.S. farm goods and ensure the safety of its exports during high-level talks next month in Beijing, U.S. officials said.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner will be in Beijing on December 11 for the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade talks.

Gutierrez and Schwab co-chair the forum, along with Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi. It was established in 1983 and elevated to a Cabinet-level commission several years ago as increased trade between the two countries led to more friction.

The United States will also urge China during the December 11 meeting to maintain an open, competitive market and beef up efforts to stop piracy and counterfeiting, U.S. officials said.

The last JCCT meeting was in Washington in April 2006. Since then, a newer forum known as the Strategic Economic Dialogue led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Wu has held center stage in U.S.-China economic relations.

The United States has used those talks primarily to press China to move to a more flexible, market-driven currency exchange rate, take other steps to reform its economy and boost domestic demand and to remove barriers to foreign investment.

The next round will be held December 12-13 in Beijing, immediately after the joint commission talks.

The U.S. trade deficit with China hit a record $234 billion in 2006 and is expected to surpass that this year, fueling complaints in Congress about China's trade practices.

RETURN TO HOME PAGE

E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com