Trade Policy Review of the People’s Republic of China
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Last week, the World Trade Organization conducted its ninth review of the trade policies and practices of China. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat.
In his frank remarks concerning the WTO review, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative and Deputy Chief of Mission in Geneva, David Bisbee stated:
The People’s Republic of China is not the only WTO Member that still operates a non-market economy. There are a few others. But what sets the PRC apart from them is that Beijing operates its non-market economy in a “predatory” manner. That is, because of the size of its economy and the volume of its trade, the PRC is uniquely positioned to be able to use its state-directed approach to the economy to eliminate foreign competition and amass market power.
Through state-led industrial plans like Made in China 2025, the PRC targets key industries for domination, both in the PRC-based market and globally, and the full weight of the PRC state is deployed in support of this goal of domination. It means that foreign companies are not competing against individual PRC companies; they are competing against the PRC state and PRC companies acting in concert.
Read Mr. Bisbee’s full remarks.
Chair, International Trade & National Security Practice Group, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Mr. Pickard counsels U.S. and international clients on the laws and regulations governing international trade, with particular emphasis on import remedy, anti-bribery, national security, and export control issues. He represents and advises clients in matters related to trade remedy investigations (including antidumping, countervailing duty, and safeguard cases), U.S. economic sanctions, export controls, anti-boycott measures, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Mr. Pickard provides comprehensive international trade law compliance guidance, including assessing and resolving sensitive national security matters; developing corporate compliance programs; establishing compliance with the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) and mitigating Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) issues; conducting internal investigations relating to potential violations; and appearing before the relevant agencies in connection with investigations, licensing, and enforcement actions. He also teams with the firm’s Election Law & Government Ethics Group to provide guidance pertaining to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Mr. Pickard represents clients before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and International Trade Administration (ITA), the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Security Service (DSS), the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the U.S. Court of International Trade, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.