US trade report keeps China on priority watch list as Blinken visit begins

Intellectual property protection infringements along with technology transfer, counterfeiting and other concerns cited

The report’s release coincided with the start of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s three-day visit to Shanghai and Beijing

Reading Time:3 minutes

The Office of the United States Trade Representative has kept China on its “priority watch list”, citing concerns about intellectual property protections. Photo: Shutterstock

Ji Siqiin Washington

Published: 5:00pm, 25 Apr 2024Updated: 5:08pm, 25 Apr 2024

China remains on Washington’s “priority watch list” for intellectual property protection infringement amid a “slowdown” in Beijing’s pace of reform, the US government said on Wednesday.

The latest Special 301 Report – issued each year by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the country’s trading partners’ IP rights protection – landed as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken started his three-day trip to China.

“In 2023, the pace of reforms in China remained slow,” said a senior USTR official. “Stakeholders acknowledge some positive developments but continue to raise concerns about implementation of the amended criminal law, copyright law and patent law.”

Other long-standing concerns raised by rights holders include technology transfer, trade secrets, bad faith trademarks, counterfeiting, online piracy and geographical indications, the official said.

The 93-page report, of which the China section comprises 10 pages, said the USTR has been taking actions to address “unfair and harmful Chinese acts, policies, and practices”.

The priority watch list remained unchanged from last year, with Argentina, Chile, India, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela also continuing to appear.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x