Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker delivered remarks at the opening plenary session of the 27th meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT). During her remarks, Secretary Pritzker highlighted the two countries’ progress in promoting bilateral trade and commerce through the JCCT, as well as lingering policy challenges that remain in our bilateral relationship.
 
Secretary Pritzker encouraged China to further reform, rebalance, and open its economy by addressing intellectual property protections, decreasing excess capacity, and promoting an open, vibrant digital economy. To conclude, the Secretary urged JCCT participants to address these policy challenges head-on and produce concrete results that benefit both the U.S. and China.

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Good morning. On behalf of President Obama and the U.S. government, it is my pleasure to welcome Vice Premier Wang and the entire Chinese delegation to Washington for the 27th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.

Three years ago, during a tea break at the 2013 JCCT in Beijing, Vice Premier Wang, Ambassador Froman, and I had the radical idea of “reimagining” how the JCCT works.

Today, this dialogue remains a platform to discuss major economic, commercial, and trade issues between our two governments. But we have added two new dimensions that have transformed the JCCT.

First, we now hear directly from our respective business communities about how we can strengthen our business climates. Second, during the dialogue, we host events that foster greater communication and promote growth opportunities between U.S. and Chinese business leaders.

Each year, we have focused on areas ripe for collaboration. At the 2014 JCCT in Chicago, our governments and our private sectors discussed new opportunities to grow our travel and tourism sectors.  That event sparked the creation of the U.S.-China Year of Tourism, which on Sunday, Vice Premier Wang Yang and I celebrated together during a beautiful ceremony at the Warner Theater.

At the 2015 JCCT in Guangzhou, our discussions centered on healthcare. That event sparked our government to send a trade mission of 12 healthcare companies to Beijing and Chongqing last month, led by Deputy Commerce Secretary Andrews and his counterpart at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Mr. Vice Premier, Ambassador Froman: I think it is fair to say that – through the JCCT – we have made progress in promoting more trade and commerce between our nations. Yet, policy challenges remain in our relationship.

The U.S. private sector has seen strong results from their businesses in China, but significant growing headwinds are hampering continued growth. Our companies and your companies need to see China further reform, rebalance, and open your economy – including by addressing intellectual property protections, decreasing excess capacity, and advancing policies that promote an open, vibrant digital economy.

Our task today is to address some of these challenges head on and produce concrete results that benefit both of our countries.  Over the course of our discussions today, I hope we can demonstrate our two governments’ ability to solve problems together.

I look forward to a fruitful day. Thank you.