U.S Official Comments on China-U.S Bilateral Trade

The Undersecretary of the U.S. Commerce Department says China and the U.S. have an overall positive relationship. And he says China has by and large honored its committments to the World Trade Organization.

Franklin Lavin said investment and export data show bilateral trade between China and the US is increasing. But he says there are still some challenges.

"If we look at investment and export data, it certainly supports that. So U.S exports to China last year were up about 32% '06 over '05 - one of the highest growths enjoyed by any country in the world."

Lavin made the comment recently in Beijing at a US Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting.

But he said there are still trade and market access barriers and impediments that make it more difficult for U.S businesses to operate in the Chinese market.

He said China offers improper subsidies in sectors such as paper and steel to make its companies more competitive in world markets.

However, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday the U.S decision to impose penalty tariffs on imports of Chinese paper goes against an agreement reached by leaders of both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue.

Wang Xinpei said the U.S regards China as a non-market economy. And in 1984 the U.S set a policy of not applying anti-subsidy laws to non-market economies.

From 2005 to 2006, Chinese exports of coated free sheet paper products to the US increased by 177 percent, with an estimated value of 224 million dollars.
 
 (Source: CRIENGLISH.com )