Government Presses China for New Anti-piracy Drive

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The government wants China to show "measurable progress" on piracy and other issues straining trade relations at a high-level meeting next month, the top U.S. trade official said on Wednesday.

Trade Representative Rob Portman said Washington also is pressing China for market-opening commitments and to respond to concerns about domestic industrial subsidies by the April 11 trade meeting that precedes Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Washington nine days later.

"This will be a pivotal month," Portman told reporters, referring to the lead up to Hu’s visit.

"Over the next month, we will know one way or another whether they’re serious about reducing the piracy that disproportionately affects US exports," Portman said.

The government is pressing China to take a number of "very specific" actions to reduce widespread piracy of American films and music, "including the closing down of specific plants," Portman said.

"We would need to see some kind of measurable progress" for the April 11 Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade meeting to be a success, Portman said, referring to an annual high-level meeting between Portman, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi.