The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has released an agenda for it’s public hearing on February 5, 2004 to examine China’s record of compliance with its WTO obligations to date and the process by which the U.S. monitors and enforces China’s adherence to its WTO commitments.

The hearing’s first panel will be composed of Administration officials from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and State. Their testimony and Commissioners’ questioning will provide an opportunity to hear the U.S. Government’s current assessment of China’s record of compliance; gauge U.S. monitoring efforts in the field and in the interagency process -- including the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) and Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC); review results of the first two years of the Geneva-based Transitional Review Mechanism (TRM); and consider U.S. policy and procedural options in dealing with areas of China’s non-compliance.

The second panel presents two legal experts who will give independent assessments of how well China has implemented its WTO commitments and identify the priority areas for U.S. business and government. The first panelist, Terence P. “Terry” Stewart, provided the Commission with a publicly available in-depth study of China’s WTO commitments in April of 2002 and is completing a follow-up study on China’s implementation and compliance record over its first two years of membership. Robert Cassidy was responsible for WTO negotiations with China as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, and with his current position at a Washington law firm can provide a unique “before and after WTO accession” perspective.

Two afternoon panels will provide a range of perspectives on China’s WTO compliance – and its impact on specific economic sectors – from representatives of U.S. labor, agriculture, business, manufacturing, and hi-tech and services industries.