The Office of the United States Trade Representative

USTR to Deliver Keynote Speech at Conference on China-U.S. Relations
11/13/2005
Beijing Next Stop to Strengthen Bilateral Ties and Promote Ambitious Doha Result

US-India Forum Success; Ministers Pledge to Double Trade in Three Years

BEIJING –Tomorrow, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman will participate in a series of meetings with senior Chinese officials and business leaders as part of his trip around the globe to strengthen bilateral trade relationships and promote a strong and ambitious result in the Doha Round negotiations. After visiting China, Ambassador Portman will travel to Busan, Korea for the APEC Meeting of Trade and Foreign Ministers.

While in Beijing, Ambassador Portman’s trip will deliver a keynote speech given at a conference hosted by President George H.W. Bush. The conference is entitled China-U.S. Relations: Trade, Diplomacy, and Research. In his speech, the Ambassador will underscore the importance of active Chinese participation in the Doha negotiations, as well as address the U.S.-China bilateral trade relationship.

Ambassador Portman will also meet with Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai and the National People’s Congress Economy and Finance Committee Chairman Shi Guangsheng.

Today, the Ambassador departed New Delhi where he and Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath yesterday co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum. The Ministers announced an ambitious goal to double trade between the two countries in the next three years. Currently, trade in goods between the two countries stands at $20 billion annually.

"Over the next three years, we should undertake to double our trade between India and the United States. I believe it’s achievable. The Trade Policy Forum can help us realize that goal by serving as a hub around which we raise and resolve our bilateral trade issues, opportunities and challenges alike," said Ambassador Portman.

The co-chairs emphasized a results-oriented approach to the Forum. The two sides agreed that working groups consisting of trade officials from both sides will work through issues highlighted at yesterday’s meetings – in the areas of industrial products and services, agriculture, investment, and creativity and innovation – and provide interim reports within three months to the forum’s vice-chairmen – Commerce Secretary S N Menon and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Karan Bhatia.

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