Washington, D.C. – The US and China are scheduled to hold their annual round of discussions on commerce and trade next week in Chicago.

The 25th Session of the China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), slated for December 16-18, will include a roundtable discussion on bilateral investment; a cooperative travel and tourism program; and a discussion on “developing a shared vision of economic leadership.”

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, for the first time, the JCCT schedule includes a full day of events designed to facilitate private sector engagement with officials from the U.S. and Chinese governments with the goal of “expanding the scope of the JCCT with engagement between businesses from both countries.”

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang will co-chair the high-level plenary talks. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will also participate.

Sixteen JCCT Working Groups meet throughout the year to address topics such as intellectual property rights, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, information technology, and travel and tourism.

Established in 1983, the JCCT is the primary forum for addressing bilateral trade and investment issues and promoting commercial opportunities between the United States and China.

Private sector groups involved in the event include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; The Paulson Institute; World Business Chicago; the U.S. Travel Association; and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

12/10/2014