The United States Trade Representative has initiated an investigation pursuant to the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the Trade Act), to determine whether acts, policies, and practices of the Government of China related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are actionable under the Trade Act. The inter-agency Section 301 Committee is holding a public hearing and seeking comments in connection with this investigation.
To be assured of consideration, written comments and requests to appear at the hearing must be submitted by Thursday, September 28, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. The request to appear must include a summary of testimony.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017: The Section 301 Committee will convene a public hearing in the main hearing room of the U.S. International Trade Commission.
To be assured of consideration, post-hearing rebuttal comments must be submitted by Friday, October 20, 2017 at 11:59 p.m.
A. The President's Memorandum
On August 14, 2017, the President issued a Memorandum (82 FR 39007) to the United States Trade Representative stating inter alia:
China has implemented laws, policies, and practices and has taken actions related to intellectual property, innovation, and technology that may encourage or require the transfer of American technology and intellectual property to enterprises in China or that may otherwise negatively affect American economic interests. These laws, policies, practices, and actions may inhibit United States exports, deprive United States citizens of fair remuneration for their innovations, divert American jobs to workers in China, contribute to our trade deficit with China, and otherwise undermine American manufacturing, services, and innovation.
B. The Chinese Government's Acts, Policies and Practices
The acts, policies and practices of the Government of China directed at the transfer of U.S. and other foreign technologies and intellectual property are an important element of China's strategy to become a leader in a number of industries, including advanced-technology industries, as reflected in China's ``Made in China 2025'' industrial plan, and other similar industrial policy initiatives. The Chinese government's acts, policies, and practices take many forms. The investigation initially will consider the following specific types of conduct:
First, the Chinese government reportedly uses a variety of tools, including opaque and discretionary administrative approval processes, joint venture requirements, foreign equity limitations, procurements, and other mechanisms to regulate or intervene in U.S. companies' operations in China, in order to require or pressure the transfer of technologies and intellectual property to Chinese companies. Moreover, many U.S. companies report facing vague and unwritten rules, as well as local rules that diverge from national ones, which are applied in a selective and non-transparent manner by Chinese government officials to pressure technology transfer.
Second, the Chinese government's acts, policies and practices reportedly deprive U.S. companies of the ability to set market-based terms in licensing and other technology-related negotiations with Chinese companies and undermine U.S. companies' control over their technology in China. For example, the Regulations on Technology Import and Export Administration mandate particular terms for indemnities and ownership of technology improvements for imported technology, and other measures also impose non-market terms in licensing and technology contracts.
Third, the Chinese government reportedly directs and/or unfairly facilitates the systematic investment in, and/or acquisition of, U.S.
companies and assets by Chinese companies to obtain cutting-edge technologies and intellectual property and generate large-scale technology transfer in industries deemed important by Chinese government industrial plans.
Fourth, the investigation will consider whether the Chinese government is conducting or supporting unauthorized intrusions into U.S. commercial computer networks or cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, or confidential business information, and whether this conduct harms U.S. companies or provides competitive advantages to Chinese companies or commercial sectors.
In addition to these four types of conduct, interested parties may submit for consideration information on other acts, policies and practices of China relating to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation described in the President's Memorandum that might be included in this investigation, and/or might be addressed through other applicable mechanisms.
II. Request for Comments and To Testify at the Hearing
A. Topics and Schedule
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) invites written comments on:
1. The acts, policies, and practices of the Chinese government described above.
2. Information on other acts, policies and practices of China relating to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation as described in the President's Memorandum, which might be included in this investigation, and/or might be addressed through other applicable mechanisms.
3. The nature and level of burden or restriction on U.S. commerce caused by the applicable acts, policies and practices of the Government of China, and/or any economic assessment of that burden or restriction.
4. The determinations required under section 304 of the Trade Act, that is, whether actionable conduct exists under section 301(b) and what action, if any, should be taken.
