The United States will revise some of its proposed export
controls on the sale of high technology products to China, says
Christopher Padilla, Assistant US Secretary of Commerce for Export
Administration.
Padilla is in China from Jan. 24 to 30 at the invitation of the
Ministry of Commerce.
"The reason I'm here is to hear views from the Chinese
government to see what their concerns are, and we will take those
into account as we go back and make some revisions to that
regulation (on export controls)," Padilla told reporters at the US
embassy on Friday afternoon.
"We are expected to issue the final form of the regulation
sometime later this spring," said Padilla, who is responsible for
developing and implementing US policies on the export of items
controlled for national security, foreign policy and
non-proliferation reasons.
But Padilla did not reveal what the changes would be, saying
they required more discussion.
The proposed export control rules were released by the US
Department of Commerce on July 6 last year. The rules add
civilian-use, high-tech products to the US government's export
control list and could set up new trade barriers and hinder the
exchange of high-technologies.
The move sparked dissatisfaction among US business circles and
China has repeatedly urged the US administration to ease export
controls.
However, Padilla said the restrictions would probably affect
only a small amount of trade.
"Our control is very targeted, only affecting about five percent
of US exports to China."
The proposed export controls also would expand the list of
high-tech products requiring an export license to 47
categories.
"Less than one percent of US high-tech exports to China require
licenses from the US government. We have seen large growth of our
exports of high-tech products to China since China entered the
WTO," he said.
Padilla said he had very detailed discussions on export controls
with officials from China's Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
He said the discussions were "productive and friendly", and the
Chinese side expressed concerns over specific areas.
The United States and China shared common interests in export
controls, particularly in preventing the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction, Padilla said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said earlier that
easing the export controls would benefit the United States by
balancing trade.
Padilla will also visit Shenzhen, southern China's Guangdong Province, where he will deliver a
speech at a seminar on high-tech trade and export controls.
(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2007)
