In New Letter To President
Trump, Leader Schumer, Sen. Cotton, Rep. Panetta, And Rep. Gallagher Urge
President Trump To Strongly Oppose China’s Efforts To Lead The U.N.’S World
Intellectual Property Organization
Lawmakers Emphasize That
China’s Persistent Violations Of Intellectual Property Protections And CCP’s
Tech Practices Capable Of Undermining United States’ Innovation, Pose Threat To
U.S. Economic And National Security
Schumer, Cotton, Panetta,
Gallagher To President Trump: Oppose China’s Leadership In U.N. World
Intellectual Property Organization
Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader
Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), Representative Jimmy Panetta
(D-CA), and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) on Monday evening sent a
letter to President Donald Trump, urging the president to strongly oppose
China’s efforts to lead the World Intellectual Property Organization at the
United Nations, a significant threat to both U.S. economic security and the
integrity of international intellectual property rights and standards.
In the letter, the
lawmakers write that China’s persistent violations of intellectual property
protections, as well as the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) aggressive
industrial policies and tech practices capable of undermining U.S. innovation,
present serious risks to the United States’ economic leadership and security.
What’s more, Huawei Technologies, which is thought to be influenced by the CCP
and presents clear risks to U.S. national security, was the top corporate filer
of international patent applications to the World Intellectual Property
Organization in 2018.
Sen. Schumer, Sen. Cotton,
Rep. Panetta, and Rep. Gallagher strongly urge President Trump, who earlier
accused China of “theft of intellectual property and also trade secrets on a
grand scale,” to oppose China’s leadership in the World Intellectual Property
Organization and take the necessary diplomatic steps to ensure U.S. allies and
partners do the same.
The lawmakers’ letter to
President Trump can be found
here and below:
President Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We write to express our concern about China’s
intent to lead the World Intellectual Property Organization at the United
Nations and the threat this poses to both U.S. economic security and the
integrity of international intellectual property rights and standards.
Last month, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
reportedly nominated a candidate to head this organization, which was
established as a global forum for intellectual property policy and cooperation
and to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world.
Given China’s persistent violations of intellectual property protections,
including through trade secret theft, corporate espionage, and forced transfer
of technology, the United States and its allies must stand firmly against such
a move.
The CCP is strategically investing in and
developing critical and emerging technologies as part of Made in China 2025 and
other aggressive industrial policies. These initiatives include a patchwork of
practices and tactics which coerce American companies to transfer their
technology and intellectual property to domestic Chinese corporations with the
effect of undermining U.S. innovation and economic leadership. In addition,
Chinese telecommunications company Huawei Technologies, which is thought to be
influenced by the CCP and presents clear risks to U.S. national security, was
the top corporate filer of international patent applications to the World
Intellectual Property Organization in 2018.
Your administration has repeatedly expressed concerns
about the shortcomings in China’s intellectual property regime. Notably, the
Office of the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Report
declares China a “precarious and uncertain environment” for U.S. owners of all
types of intellectual property. China also remains on USTR’s Priority Watch
List for failing to make fundamental changes to strengthen intellectual
property protection and enforcement and for engaging in harmful conduct,
including unauthorized intrusions and theft from networks of U.S. companies.
Mr. President, you have also accused China of
“theft of intellectual property and also trade secrets on a grand scale” in an
address to the United Nations General Assembly in September. We cannot let a
regime, which continues to blatantly undermine the rules-based system by
failing to ensure open markets or respect for intellectual property rights,
ascend as the leader of global intellectual property policy.
Therefore, we urge you to oppose China’s
leadership in the World Intellectual Property Organization and take the
necessary diplomatic steps to ensure our allies and partners do the same before
the Director General election next spring.
Sincerely,
###