High-level US-China trade talks set for December

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States and China will hold high-level trade talks aimed at resolving bilateral trade issues in December, US officials said yesterday.

The 18th session of the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) will be held the week of December 10 in Beijing, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said.

"I look forward to this important JCCT meeting. We have a number of trade and economic issues to address. While US exports to China are growing, many barriers remain," said Gutierrez.

"We will be working with our counterparts in China to continue delivering results for American workers, businesses, farmers and ranchers, and expanding access to the Chinese market."

The announcement comes amid growing US pressure to curb the burgeoning trade gap with China and moves in Congress to punish Beijing for what some say are unfair trade policies.

Some lawmakers in Washington accuse Beijing of keeping its currency purposefully low to give its exporters an advantage, and of using subsidies and other unfair trade actions.

Schwab, the top trade negotiator, said the JCCT forum "has helped the US and China address and resolve challenging trade issues in the past, and we are looking for it to do so this year as well."

The JCCT session will be co-chaired on the US side by Gutierrez and Schwab, and on the Chinese side by Vice Premier Wu Yi.

The US agriculture secretary, Mike Johanns, will also participate.

In addition to the JCCT, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson leads the US side of the broader, twice-yearly Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) with China, whose next meeting also will be held in Beijing in December.

Paulson was in Beijing Wednesday wrapping up a four-day visit to China in which he discussed the next SED meeting with Chinese officials.

In an interview with the Xinhua news agency, Paulson said the Strategic Economic Dialogue had been "useful in keeping our economic relationship on an even keel even during times of tension."