US talks softly, for now, on China action

Oct 06, 2006 | 07:02 AM | Scott Robertson

U.S. government officials are looking forward to talking with their Chinese counterparts in mid-October about economic and trade issues, but they are planning to do so with a variation of an old adage.

Jamie Estrada, deputy assistant secretary of manufacturing at the Commerce Department, said the U.S., in effect, will talk softly and carry a big stick in Joint Commission for Commerce and Trade (JCCT) discussions in Beijing Oct. 19-20. The meetings won't be negotiating sessions, but an attempt to persuade China to move forward with certain economic policies aimed at fair trade, Estrada said during a panel discussion at AMM's China Summit conference in Vancouver.

"We are hoping to get transparency as we move along. These are important issues to a robust and global steel market. We want to talk with the Chinese about the things that need to be done, but at the same time we will let them know that we are prepared to use all of the tools at our disposal to level the playing field (on international trade)," he said.....