Reply #53: Sceptical US reports some progress in China talks

[54anickel]

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/27e8b00e-f22c-11d9-8e69-00000e2511c8.html

The US has made what it described as “measured progress” in annual talks with China over contentious trade and market access issue but said it would take many months to establish whether Chinese commitments had been met.

Ministerial talks in Beijing on Monday took place against a background of rising alarm and anger in Washington at China's large and growing bilateral trade surplus, which last year was the highest ever recorded by the US with another country.

The US side, led by Carlos Gutierrez, commerce secretary; Rob Portman, US trade representative; and Mike Johanns, agriculture secretary, met Wen Jiabao, prime minister, and Wu Yi, vice-premier.

In a statement after the meeting the US said China had given commitments to tighten the policing and enforcement of intellectual property laws, by increasing criminal prosecutions at home and limiting exports of pirated products abroad.

The end use of pirated software would also be punished and “subject to criminal penalties in appropriate circumstances,” the US statement said.

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