US official says protection of intellectual property remains key concern in US-China relations

(16 Apr 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beijing, China – 16 April 2024
1. Wide of Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark office (USPTO), speaking during press conference
2. Cutaway of officials and media
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark office:
“IPR protection and enforcement remains a key issue of concern in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, harming U.S. firms and workers.”
4. US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns speaking
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark office:
“We met with the Vice Premier Ding and we talked about top IP concerns. We talked about the need to have a fair, non-discriminatory, transparent business environment. But the only way to get that fair, non-discriminatory environment in the business world is to have it in the IP world as well. We also met with the National People’s Congress.”
6. Cutaway of officials
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark office:
“We have been working very closely with CNIPA (China National IP Administration) for quite a while. Yesterday, we were able to sign an MOU to memorialize that we are in alignment on where we want to see the world go, that we want IP to be fair and transparent and non-discriminatory. And we know we have concerns and challenges, we may have some disagreements, but we’re here to talk through them and to work through them to make China a stronger environment for your businesses.”
8. Wide of officials listening
9. Mid of Vidal and Nicholas Burns at lectern

STORYLINE:
A top United States commerce official said on Tuesday that the protection of intellectual property remains “a key issue of concern” in US-China relations.

Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and the Director of the US Patent and Trademark office, told reporters in Beijing that she had stressed the importance of fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and strong intellectual property rights (IPR) during her Monday talks with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.

“We talked about the need to have a fair, nondiscriminatory, transparent business environment. But the only way to get that fair, non-discriminatory environment in the business world is to have it in the IP world as well,” said Vidal, speaking at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Beijing.

Vidal also spoke of extensive work and agreements between the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and its counterpart agency, the China National IP Administration (CNIPA).

“And we know we have concerns and challenges, we may have some disagreements, but we’re here to talk through them and to work through them to make China a stronger environment for your businesses,” she said.

China has long been accused of an unfair business environment for foreign business, including a lack of transparency in IP protection.

It has been nine years since an Under Secretary of Commerce and Director of the United States Patent & Trademark Office had visited China, and this was the first official visit between an official of this Administration and the Executive Vice Premier.

AP video shot by Caroline Chen

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