Challenge or Opportunity? The U.S. Government's Perspective on US-China Economic Relations

China's economic growth and integration with global markets is restructuring the world economy and raising issues important to the future of US companies and workers. In the US market, we hear concerns over a range of Chinese trade practices, including subsidies, dumping; and the exchange rate. In the China market, lack of enforcement of IP protections and non-market behaviors, such as subsidies and industrial policies, give rise to concerns that the deck is being stacked against US companies. At the same time, US exports to China continue to grow rapidly and US invested companies report strong profits. Many also note that low cost imports from China keep the cost of living in the US low and enhance the competiveness of some US companies in global markets. President Bush has described our relations with China as "complex." Our economic relationship is the embodiment of that description.

Henry A. (Hank) Levine serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Asia in the International Trade Administration's office of Market Access and Compliance. His responsibilities include the market access concerns and compliance with international trade agreements that affect U.S. companies operating in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia, and the member countries of ASEAN. In his career State Department Foreign Service Officer, Mr. Levine has served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Europe, the U.S. Consul General in Shanghai, China and Deputy Director for Economic Affairs in the State Department's Office of Chinese Affairs. Mr. Levine has a B.A. in Political Science from Bucknell University. He did graduate work in international affairs at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is a 1993 graduate, with distinction, from the U.S. National War College. He is fluent in Chinese (Mandarin).

Series Co-sponsored with the Center for East Asian Studies.