Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 27, 1995 TAG: 9502280044
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder Financial News and Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
``This is a strong agreement for American companies and American workers,'' Clinton said Sunday.
China, under the threat of U.S. trade sanctions, agreed to inspect 29 plants that allegedly pirate U.S. compact discs, video cassettes, laser discs and CD-ROMs, and to destroy any counterfeit products found.
China also agreed to open its markets to so-called U.S. intellectual property and use its court system more aggressively to crack down on pirates in the country.
Clinton said the agreement represented a wider administration economic policy to boost trade and create more higher-paying jobs here. ``On behalf of U.S. workers, we have used every tool at our disposal to fight foreign barriers to competitive U.S. exports,'' he said.
``This agreement will eliminate practices that have cost Americans over $1 billion a year in high-value exports. It will mean thousands of jobs for Americans in key industries, including computer software, pharmaceuticals, agricultural and chemical products, books and periodicals, and audiovisual products.''
Chinese trade minister Wu Yi said the negotiations on enforcing intellectual property rights affected the entire Sino-U.S. relationship.
``Although there exist frictions and disputes,'' Wu said, ``they can be solved through equal consultations.''
The accord spells out measures to enforce laws China wrote after similarly tense talks that went down to the wire in 1992.
The steps include establishing a nationwide task force to raid businesses engaged in piracy, review business records, destroy goods and equipment, and order closure and criminal prosecution.
Beginning Wednesday, China is to begin a six-month special enforcement period during which it is supposed to raid all suspected pirates, particularly those engaged in illegal production of compact discs, laser discs and CD-ROMs.
Chinese customs agents will be granted greater powers, including border seizure and destruction of pirated goods.
In the first year, China is to make quarterly reports on its progress, followed by semiannual reports.
The agreement also gives American producers of intellectual property greater access to the Chinese market. American movies will no longer be restricted by quotas, and audio-visual firms can enter into Chinese joint ventures to produce and distribute their products.
by CNB