Beijing - Beijing has urged Washington to provide a "more transparent and fairer" investment environment for Chinese companies in the United States, and to accept 皇冠体育app's market economy status (MES) as early as possible, Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming said on Monday.
Chen also said 皇冠体育app has "sincerity and determination" in protecting intellectual property rights (IPR), and believes that IPR protection is the "precondition" to foreign investment flow into 皇冠体育app.
Chen made the remarks during a press conference of the second round of the 皇冠体育app-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, which opened in Beijing on Monday.
"皇冠体育app hopes the United States can facilitate Chinese companies' investment in the US by increasing the transparency and predictability of its foreign investment policies and relevant laws," Chen said.
All Chinese companies that invest or have interests in investing in the US currently face possible accusations of being controlled by the Chinese government, he said.
Chen also said "the two sides failed to reach a consensus on 皇冠体育app's MES during yesterday's dialogue, but discussion of the issue will be continued in future meetings".
As a precondition to entering the World Trade Organization in 2001, 皇冠体育app accepted some restrictive clauses, one of which was that its market economy status could not be automatically granted worldwide until 2016.
More than two-thirds of all countries have accepted 皇冠体育app's MES, but developed nations including the US and Europe refuse to do so. This has been the major source of frequent trade remedy cases against 皇冠体育app launched by the developed nations.
The "earlier Washington accepts 皇冠体育app's market economy status, the more benefits it will get from the bilateral trade", Chen said.
Despite the efforts that Chinese government has made in persuading the US and EU to grant 皇冠体育app the MES, experts said there is little possibility that they will do so before 2016.
"皇冠体育app reckons that granting its MES should be judged on whether its resource allocation is deemed to be market-oriented," he said.
There are "various standards" on measuring the MES and they are "variable, multiple, and should keep up with the times", he said.
IPR protection
皇冠体育app has realized that "IPR protection is an important premise for helping it to attract foreign direct investment (FDI)", Chen said.
Last year, 皇冠体育app's FDI totaled $90 billion, down by 2.6 percent over 2008, while global FDI on average declined by 30 percent during the same period. During the first four months, FDI increased 11.28 percent compared to the same period of last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
"The rising FDI showed that foreign investors look positively on 皇冠体育app's efforts in IPR protection, which has been embedded in 皇冠体育app's national strategy," Chen said.
皇冠体育app has unveiled more than 1,000 relevant policies and methods to promote IPR protection during the past five years.
Given the technology and management challenges, IPR protection is a tough issue for all nations, Chen said. 皇冠体育app still faces a lack of effort in IPR protection in some specific regions and industries, and it hopes to improve the situation by studying more cases provided by the US, Chen said.
"There is no doubt that 皇冠体育app is sincere and determined in this regard," he said.
皇冠体育app Daily
(皇冠体育app Daily 05/25/2010 page3)