Policy Issues || News & Events || AeA Beijing Office || Weekly Newsletter || Contact Info

Changing the China Atmosphere in Washington, DC
To counter the increasingly anti-China rhetoric and balance the policy debate in Washington, DC, and State Capitals, AeA has officially launched the “AeA China Initiative.”    This program aims to improve the understanding of the U.S.-China relationship through coordinated exchanges and contributing fact-based analysis.  The Initiative encompasses a combination of programs, papers, and meetings highlighting the challenges as well as the benefits of the U.S.-China economic relationship.

AeA International is currently following these policy issues in China:

• U.S - China Relations
  Pursue balanced policy approach that supports member company business activities in China
• WTO Compliance
  China continues to open markets and take steps to comply with its WTO commitments, but it also continues to look for ways to protect local industries or impede foreign business
• Intellectual Property Protection
  Protecting U.S. IP in China
• Government Procurement
  In its WTO Accession Agreement China committed to joining the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) "as soon as possible" and AeA is working with a coalition for progress on action by China
• E-Waste/Environment
  AeA is the industry leader in China WEEE and China RoHS
• Export Controls
  The AeA Export Controls Committee follows issues and regulations applicable to China while addressing U.S. national security concerns.

To learn more or join one of AeA's Committees related to China contact Rob Mulligan, VP, International, at 202.682.4452.

• AeA China RoHS Subcommittee
• AeA China Workgroup
• AeA International Policy Advisory Committee

October 26, 2006 - AeA China RoHS Program Draws 250 Attendees to Hear China MII Delegation on Impending Environment Rules.  AeA hosted a half-day conference at Sun Microsystems in Santa Clara, CA, on China RoHS (regulations restricting the use of certain substances in the production of electronic information products) that drew over 250 people from across the country.  They came to hear presentations by the primary drafters and implementers of the regulation from the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry (MII).  With the impending effective date of March 1, 2007, companies were eagerly seeking more information and clarification of the requirements they will have to meet for their products to be compliant.

AeA, with the support of 12 sponsoring companies (Agilent, AMD, Apple, Cisco, Dell, GE, HP, Honeywell, Intel, Motorola, Sun, Teradyne), organized a ten-day trip from October 17-27 for the delegation of senior MII officials that included meetings in Washington, DC; Austin, TX; and San Jose, CA.  For over two years the AeA China RoHS Coalition has been providing input to these officials on US company views and concerns related to development and implementation of the China RoHS regulations, including several technical exchanges in Beijing.  This was the first time that the MII group had met with companies in the US on the China RoHS rules and the AeA program was the only public opportunity for non-sponsoring companies to hear first-hand the latest information on the implementing rules.  To learn more about AeA’s work on China RoHS visit our China RoHS webpage.

AeA also hosted the MII delegation for a welcoming lunch in the AeA offices on October 20.  Bill Archey, AeA CEO and President, greeted the group, provided them with an overview of AeA, and discussed the key goals of the meetings that had been arranged for the delegation.

The Chinese MII Delegation including WANG Bingke, Deputy Director General, Department of Economy and Economic Operations, MII; AeA Executives William T. Archey (President & CEO) & Rob Mulligan (Sr. VP International); and AeA Member Company Representatives at the AeA DC Headquarters.

July 11, 2006 - AeA President & CEO Presents on China’s Emerging High-Tech Industry to U.S. Senate.  On July 11, William T. Archey (bio), President and CEO of AeA, participated in a panel discussion on Capital Hill on "Understanding China as a High-Tech Competitor."  Event sponsors included The American Chemical Society and the Congress Project, the Senate Science and Technology Caucus, and the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Over 150 Senate staffers, academics, and industry representatives attended the program.  Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN),  who co-hosted the program with Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), provided introductory remarks before turning it over to the three panelists...read more.

• Access William T. Archey's Presentation, "China's Emerging High-Tech Industry." 

Panelists:  William T. Archey, President & CEO, AeA; Ted Fishman, author, China, Inc; Catherine T. Hunt, President-Elect, ACS; Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN); and Kathleen Walsh, professor, National Security Affairs, Naval War College (L-R).

William T. Archey, President & CEO, AeA, discusses China's 15 Year Plan during his presentation to 150+ Senate staffers, academics, and industry leaders.

April 4 - 6, 2006 - AeA Chairman Leads Senior Executive Delegation to Beijing & Shenzhen, China.  The trip provided senior executives insights into the growing U.S. -- China economic ties through meetings with Chinese government officials, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, leading consultants, and political observers. Read the Chairman's Report on the trip!

March 1, 2006 - China Promulgates RoHS Regulation.  Overview of Requirements and Industry Outlook...read more.

January 18, 2006 - AeA China Initiative:  Improving the U.S. - China Trade Relationship
Growing concern over potential policy missteps by the governments in China and the U.S. have prompted AeA to undertake a China Initiative. aimed at increasing awareness on both sides of the importance of the trading relationship.  Through a series of papers, meetings, and programs, the AeA China Initiative will work to educate policy makers in China and the U.S. on the benefits of maintaining an open bilateral trade environment and the risks of policy measures that could undermine trade.  As part of the initiative on January 18, 2006, William T. Archey, AeA's President and CEO (bio), addressed the Council on Foreign Relations, on the future of China’s technology industry. 

January 5, 2006 - The United States Information Technology Office (USITO), AeA's office in Beijing, releases the 2005 Third Quarter Chinese statistical summary...read more.

November 17, 2005 - AeA Bay Area Council hosts Gregory Shea, President, USITO.  View the recap of this event or download Mr. Shea's presentation, "ICT:  Driver of China's Economic Renaissance."

November 16, 2005 - AeA releases new report that highlights U.S.-China high-tech trade and investment:

• Between 1998 and 2004, U.S. tech exports to China nearly tripled, from $3.0 billion to $8.7 billion.
• Only five countries are larger export destinations for American tech products than China; trends indicate China could rapidly move up the ranks.
• Between 1998 and 2004, U.S. tech imports from China quadrupled, from $16 billion to $68 billion.
• U.S. direct investment in China totaled $15.4 billion in 2004, a 34 percent increase over 2003.
• Chinese investment in the U.S. remains small but is rising, up 59 percent from 2003 to 2004.
• Public policy in both China and the United States must recognize the increasingly integrated nature of our economies; protectionist measures on either side only serve to restrict market access to China while raising prices on consumer goods for Americans.

Like It or Not, China and the U.S. Are Intricately Linked China is an enormously important economic partner for the United States in terms of both trade and investment, particularly in the high-tech sector.  This report presents statistics quantifying this interdependence.

October 10 - 13, 2005 - AeA Mountain States Council and sponsor Grant Thornton, LLP, host Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong for a series of meetings with political leaders and local high-tech executives in Denver, Colorado on October 10 - 13, 2005. ...read more. 

September 25, 2005 - Chinese Government Tightens Restrictions on the Internet.  New Rules on "Internet" Information Services" ban private media companies' involvement in news and current events...read more.

July 15, 2005 - USITO releases quarterly statistical bulletin...read more.

April 12 - 15, 2005 - AeA's Fourth Annual Trip to China.  AeA's 2005 Chairman, John V. Harker, and President/CEO, William T. Archey, lead a delegation of 15 senior executives from member companies to China to meet with Chinese government and business leaders as well as U.S. officials between April 12 - 15, 2005...read more.

AeA Members and the Chinese State Council Informatization Office (SCITO) delegation to the U.S. at AeA 

November 22, 2004 - SCITO Delegates from China Visit AeA.  AeA & Cisco Systems Host “Best Practices to Implementing IT Investment Workshop”  with the Chinese State Council Informatization Office (SCITO) officials at AeA's DC headquarters...read more.

Check out ALL of our Government Affairs Events

Beijing, China

United States Information Technology Office (USITO) is a private, non-profit trade association designed to promote trade and cooperation in the information technology industries of the United States and China.  It is committed to increasing the market share of U.S. companies in China's burgeoning information technology sector.  USITO is a consortium formed by:  American Electronics Association (AeA), The Technology CEO Council, Software & Information Industry Association (SIAA), Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).  USITO membership is open to U.S. corporations engaged in telecom, information, and high-tech industries.  It is not connected with the United States government.

Via these parent associations, USITO represents and provides service to more than 6,000 U.S. high-tech companies.  Parent associations pay an annual contribution to USITO in order to provide services to the parent associations and member companies.  USITO also has several hundred member companies that, because of the extent of their operations in China, pay dues directly to USITO in order to receive direct support from the organization in Beijing.

USITO is sponsored in China by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), with the active support of the Ministry of Information Industry (MII), and other government departments.  USITO's Beijing office was opened in 1995 by the late U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Ron Brown under the auspices of the U.S.-China Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) to represent US information technology industries in China, to monitor and express support for legislation conducive to U.S. export and investment opportunities, and to promote further opening of China’s technology markets to U.S. firms.

To learn more about USITO visit:  www.usito.org.

With the support of five IT industry parent associations and 50 member-companies, USITO promotes trade and cooperation between the information technology industries of the United States and China.  USITO's China IT Weekly Briefing strives to make the Chinese IT market more accessible to U.S. companies by providing market development assistance and information on government policy, regulations, and trends in key IT markets. 

Subscribe and gain the knowledge you need to stay informed of all the latest high-tech issues so you can make decisions that keep you, and your company, at the top of your game

This page was last updated on 11/09/06.  
Copyright © 2006 American Electronics Association.  All rights reserved.