U.S. and China promote chemical trade links

Abstract

A 10-day visit to the U.S. by a high-level Chinese delegation led by Minister of Chemical Industry Gu Xiulian has given a boost to chemical trade ties between the two nations. Gu met with Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown and with officials from the U.S. Trade Representative's office, the Energy Department, the Chemical Manufacturers Association, and other groups. Her delegation also visited chemical firms in several states. However, a central focus of the mission was the first official meeting of a Chemicals & Allied Products Subgroup of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce & Trade (C&EN, Sept. 5, 1994, page 6). The meeting in Washington, D.C., was cochaired by Michael J. Copps, the Commerce Department's deputy assistant secretary for basic industries, and Chen Lihua, director general of the Department of International Cooperation in China's Ministry of Chemical Industry. Government and chemical industry officials participated. We've established good working relationships with the Chinese, seeki...