Japan,US Agree Must Stop China Auto Parts Imitation

TOKYO January 16, 2003; Dow Jones reports that- Japan and the United States have wrapped up two days of talks on automobile trade and agreed that China should strengthen efforts to prevent the imitation of foreign auto parts, Kyodo News reported Friday.

The two countries focused on multilateral auto issues on the second day, following the first-day session on bilateral issues, Japanese officials said, according to Kyodo.

The two countries agreed that China needs to step up efforts to protect intellectual property rights, including those for foreign auto parts, the officials said.

There was no discussion on specific measures to urge China to protect intellectual property rights as officials felt it is necessary to take a unified action with other industries on the issue, Japanese officials said.

Japan also told the U.S. that the two countries, acting together with Europe, should try to open up world auto markets through a new round of global trade talks under the World Trade Organization.

On the first day, the two countries discussed the development of environmentally friendly fuel-cell cars and foreign access to the Japanese auto parts market.

The two-day meeting marked the first plenary session for the bilateral Automotive Consultation Group, which was created in October 2001 as a new consultation framework for auto and auto parts trade following the expiration of the bilateral auto trade accord at the end of 2000.

Under the framework, the two countries hold auto talks annually. The date and venue for the next meeting have yet to be fixed.