November 04, 2005
#05-50
Press Release, 05-50
TOP U.S. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICIAL IN CHINA TO ADVANCE U.S. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AGENDA
PRESS RELEASE
Beijing-Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
Jon Dudas will meet during his November 4-9, 2005 trip to China
with top-level Chinese intellectual property officials to track
progress on commitments made by the Chinese government at a
July 2005 meeting of the Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade
(JCCT). While in China, the Under Secretary will also speak to
representatives from U.S. businesses and Chinese government
officials at roundtables in Beijing and Shanghai hosted by
Clark T. Randt, U.S. Ambassador to China.
President Bush and Commerce Secretary Gutierrez have made opening markets in China through effective enforcement of intellectual property rights and protecting our borders from counterfeit and pirated products from China a top priority. Under Secretary Dudas is the Co-Chair of the JCCT Intellectual Property Working Group. The JCCT is composed of high level U.S. and Chinese officials and was formed to promote a level playing field in trade between China and the U.S. Enforcement in China of strong patent, trademark, copyright and other intellectual property laws will decrease the amount of counterfeit products coming into the U.S. from China and will help open the world’s largest market for American goods.
“The U.S. government and U.S. businesses measure success in China by results. We are seeing some signs of progress by China in meeting its commitments to improve patent, trademark and copyright enforcement,” said Under Secretary Dudas. “What we’re not seeing yet are sustainable results. There has been no perceptible reduction in counterfeiting and piracy in China. Chinese goods continue to constitute over 65% of all illegal goods seized at U.S. borders. We continue to see unarrested sales of fake and stolen U.S. products, from clothing and footwear to music CDs, software, movies and even complete automobiles on the streets of China and around the world.”
In his speeches at the Ambassador’s roundtables in Beijing and Shanghai, Under Secretary Dudas will emphasize the importance of IP protection to foreign investment and the critical role foreign investment plays in a strong economy. The Under Secretary will note that, “Key to a growing U.S. economy is that 45 percent of all patents granted in the U.S. are from countries other than the U.S.” Under Secretary Dudas will also underscore his belief that strong patent, trademark and copyright enforcement is not only good for U.S. commerce in China but also good for China, noting, “Stronger IP protection in China will ensure sustained growth in value-added investments -- creating more good, knowledge-based jobs for Chinese citizens and further strengthening the Chinese economy.”
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