U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2007)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

REMARKS BY: Michael Leavitt, Secretary

PLACE: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Roundtable

DATE: Monday, December 03, 2007

Remarks as Delivered to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Roundtable

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Now, there are 50 different recommendations and 14 different categories, all based on that fundamental strategic change. I'd like to summarize if I could with eight of them, and then I'd like very much to get your thoughts and reactions. I would also, before we're finished, like to tell you about the agreements that we're reaching with the Chinese, because I think that is indicative of how this report can, in fact, in the future be implemented.

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Now, before I close let me just talk a little bit about China. It's important that I emphasize that this report is not about China or any other particular country, because we need to have this kind of relationship with all of our trading partners. China is a growing and important part of the market. Some of the warning signs I referred to earlier were a result of trade we were doing with China. We have engaged over the last nearly six months now in rigorous conversations with the Chinese. And as Tom [Donohue] indicated, early next week we hope to sign binding memorandums of understanding in the areas of food and feed and devices and drugs. The agreements will be very similar in principle to this report. It will demonstrate a need for us to work together to ensure that any country who desires to produce goods for American consumers needs to produce them in accordance with American standards -- American standards of quality, American standards of safety.

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