China's major concerns, including US export controls, were not addressed by the US government despite real commitments by Beijing on intellectual property rights protection, experts said.
At a news briefing on Monday following the 22nd China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, Wang Chao, vice-minister of commerce, said China and the US have agreed to jointly tackle moves toward protectionism, ease trade friction and avoid the politicizing of economic issues.
The annual meeting was held in Chengdu, Sichuan province. US Secretary of Commerce John Bryson discussed key trade concerns with Chinese commerce officials.
Both parties signed five economic and trade agreements that are related to intellectual property rights, high-tech goods, energy and business cooperation.
But experts said that the US is unwilling to make substantive progress on the issues that concern China most.
Beijing has agreed to make IPR protection a long-term task involving the judiciary and administrative tools and ensure the software integrity of the central and local governments.
The US deeply appreciated China's commitment, Bryson said.
Last October, the State Council launched a six-month campaign to reduce the use of pirated goods, one of the government's most comprehensive efforts to promote IP rights in recent years.
Another significant commitment made by the government during the meeting was by welcoming foreign firms in helping strategic emerging industries and providing them with a fair and equal business environment.
"The US should be happy about the result of the meetings, as Chinese commitments to the US are positive and concrete," said Zhou Shijian, an expert from Tsinghua University.
However, many experts believe that the major issues concerning China have still not been addressed.
These include the US loosening restrictive export measures, recognition of China's market economy status and treating Chinese investment in the US equally.
But at the end of the meeting, the US only agreed to conduct joint research on the impact of US export controls on trade and expand cooperation in the high-tech sector. The US will recognize China's market economy status in a constructive way, the statement said.
Questions:
1. Where was the meeting held?
2. What was the aim of the State Council’s six-month campaign launched last October?
3. What are some of the major issues concerning China?
Answers:
1. Chengdu.
2. To reduce the use of pirated goods.
3. The US loosening restrictive export measures, recognition of China's market economy status and treating Chinese investment in the US equally.
(中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑)
About the broadcaster:
Emily Cheng is an editor at China Daily. She was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Media, English Literature and Politics. She has worked in the media industry since starting university and this is the third time she has settled abroad - she interned with a magazine in Hong Kong 2007 and studied at the University of Leeds in 2009.