Press Release

Gutierrez and Schwab Announce 25th Anniversary Meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade

Meetings to be Held at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez and U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab announced today that the 19th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) will be held the week of Sept. 15th, 2008, at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation in Yorba Linda, California. The JCCT, a high-level government-to-government dialogue, identifies and works to resolve bilateral trade issues to expand trade opportunities. Secretary of Agriculture Edward T. Schafer will also participate in this JCCT session.

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of the JCCT, which has been instrumental in moving the U.S.-China commercial relationship forward,” Gutierrez said. “The United States and China generate 40 percent of the world’s economic growth. We have a strong interest in working with China to address the wide range of trade and economic issues that affect the lives of American workers, businesses, and farmers.”

“The JCCT has been and continues to be an important mechanism for addressing challenges in our large and complex bilateral trade relationship with China,” said Ambassador Schwab. “The American people recognize the benefits of our economic engagement with China, but rightly seek more equity and balance in our trade relationship. We will continue to work toward that goal through the JCCT, our other bilateral and multilateral fora, and as appropriate, through use of the other tools available to us.”

This JCCT session will be co-chaired on the U.S. side by Commerce Secretary Gutierrez and USTR Schwab, and on the Chinese side by Vice Premier Wang Qishan. The JCCT has more than a dozen working groups and sub-groups that meet throughout the year. The 18th JCCT session was held in December 2007, in Beijing, China.

Recent accomplishments of the JCCT include China’s commitment to take steps to combat trade in counterfeit drugs and to reduce the regulatory burdens for medical devices imported into China, which U.S. industry estimates will save tens of millions of dollars. The United States and China also signed a memorandum of understanding in December 2007, to facilitate travel to the United States by Chinese tourist groups, who spend an average $6,000 per visitor.

Media Credentialing:
Media interested in covering the JCCT should contact Jenifer Sarver at jsarver@doc.gov or 202-482-4883 to register.