IP Protections between China-U.S. cooperation historically causes tensions Bloomberg 24 – US Presses China to Be More Transparent on IP Protection. Bloomberg.com. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-19/us-presses-china-to-be-more-transparent-on-ip-protection?leadSource=uverify+wall//HarrisC
Beijing needs to be clearer on how it’s protecting intellectual property and address new forms of infringement, US commerce official Kathi Vidal said as trade tensions loom in an US election year.
“We’re still seeing major issues with regard to transparency,” Vidal, under secretary of commerce for intellectual property, told Bloomberg TV in an interview in Shanghai on Thursday. “It’s about transparency in terms of judicial decisions, and transparency in terms of enforcement.”
Vidal raised the issue with Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang in Beijing earlier this week amid a flurry of visits by US and EU officials who complained over China’s manufacturing capacity and treatment of foreign firms. President Biden on Wednesday proposed raising tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum as he sought to woo US steel workers ahead of November’s election, a move criticized by Beijing as arbitrary.
Concerns over weak intellectual property protections in China are among a swathe of issues that have roiled US-China ties. Biden in November said there were “real differences” with Beijing over maintaining a level playing field and IP safeguards after meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Vidal, who is also director of the US Patent and Trademark Office, said sales of counterfeit goods via live-streaming are a growing concern for US firms, particularly in consumer goods sectors.