The 18th Sino-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) is to meet?in Beijing?on Tuesday, and high-level officials of the two countries will discuss bilateral economic and trade issues and sign several agreements and memoranda.

 

Chinese vice premier Wu Yi, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab will preside over the meeting, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said.

 

The JCCT, formed in 1983, has served as a bilateral venue for China and the United States to address trade and market access issues.

 

The two countries will soon begin a succession of dialogues, including the 18th JCCT, the 3rd China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue, and the 5th Strategic Dialogue.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2007)