Opening Statement of Vice Chairman Carolyn Bartholomew
Hearing Co-Chairman
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Hearing on “The Challenges of China’s Green Technology Policy and Ohio’s Response”
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Good morning, and welcome everyone. Thank you all for coming. The Commission would like thank the University of Toledo for hosting the hearing and in particular, Dr. McMillen, the provost and vice president for government relations at the University.
My name is Carolyn Bartholomew, vice-chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The Commission was created by Congress to advise it on policy towards the People’s Republic of China. We hold eight hearings each year, and we produce a book-length annual report to Congress, which includes our recommendations for legislation and other actions related to U.S. policy on China.
Each year, one of those hearings is held outside Washington in order to see first hand the impact of competition with China on a particular state or region. We have been to Dearborn, Akron, Seattle, northern and southern California, Columbia, South Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Rochester, New York and we are pleased this year to be here in Toledo.
We are here to investigate several things, including how China’s efforts to create a powerful green technology exporting sector affect Ohio’s efforts to develop clean and alternative energy technology. Is it competition? Is it opportunity? Or is it a little of both. We want to hear what the U.S. Congress can do to make domestic efforts more successful.
We have a variety of excellent witnesses, who have prepared insightful testimony for the Commission. The full written and oral testimony will be entered into the record, so I would ask all our panelists to limit their oral testimony today to seven minutes each so that we can have plenty of time for questions and answers. A transcript will be made of the hearing and will be posted on our website, at uscc.gov.
We will have a public comment period at 3:15 pm. Those who wish to speak must register to do so with our staff.
Thank you again, Dr. McMillen, for your hospitality and your help in setting up this hearing at the University. Now I will turn the microphone over to my co-chair, Commissioner Peter Brookes.