REMARKS TO IPR ROUNDTABLE

Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr.
Ambassador of the United States of America to China

Grand Hyatt Beijing
November 14, 2006
9:00 a.m.

Welcome to the fifth annual Ambassador's Intellectual Property Rights Roundtable.

When I became ambassador in 2001, it was clear to me that inadequate I.P.R. protection and uneven enforcement of existing intellectual property laws and regulations remained a serious problem, materially and adversely impacting the crucial bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and China.

Significant progress has been made in addressing these issues in China over the last five years, and I think that these roundtable discussions have played an important and positive role in achieving that progress.

We recognize and greatly appreciate the energetic leadership of Vice Premier Wu Yi in this regard and welcome the earnest efforts of numerous Chinese agencies and officials.

Unfortunately, however, despite these sincere efforts, our companies on the ground tell us that significant I.P.R. problems persist.

Later today, we will hear presentations from representatives of the Chinese agencies about the good work they have been doing to improve intellectual property rights protection in China.  Such efforts are in China's own interest if China is to encourage creativity.

We are, indeed, fortunate to have wide representation from United States companies and industry and trade associations here with us today.

You represent industries that vary in size and products, but that all have one thing in common — you all rely on the protection of intellectual property rights to protect fair competition and create a level playing field in the Chinese market.

From automotive products to software and pharmaceutical products, among others, the diversity of companies present today demonstrates the deep concern that extends across industrial categories and businesses regarding the need to strengthen I.P.R. protection in China. 

As you can see from our level of participation, the United States Government is strongly committed at the most senior levels to improving the intellectual property environment here in China for our companies. 

We will hear from the United States Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, the Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Jon Dudas, who also heads the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as well as representatives from the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Department of Justice and the Trade and Development Agency.

Here at the China Mission, we’ve also taken the interagency approach to addressing our bilateral I.P.R. concerns.

The presence of the United States Patent and Trademark Office at the China Mission has expanded in the past year to include two more intellectual property attachés in Beijing and Guangzhou.

In addition, we’ve created an I.P.R. task force so that there is efficient coordination between the various government agencies who have an interest in intellectual property issues.

In the past five years, judicial and legal reforms, which the Chinese government has undertaken, are helpful and encouraging; however, enforcement and market access for legitimate United States products remain concerns as new challenges to intellectual property rights emerge.

As internet use explodes in China, so do the challenges of how to protect intellectual property rights holders in this brave new world.

Increasingly, sophisticated knock-off consumer products and pharmaceuticals are readily available everywhere in china thanks to the reach of the Internet and mobile technology.

Thanks to technology, copyright infringement of books, movies, music and software now occur with great speed and on a heretofore unimaginable scale. 

As infringers become more sophisticated, so must our responses.

That is why we’ve decided to focus our program today on the challenges to intellectual property protection created by the growth of china’s Internet and I.T. economy.

Thank you for attending and participating in this year’s roundtable discussion.

The future prosperity of so many companies depends on our coming to grips with the new challenges confronting all of us.