Trade official to discuss WTO responsibilities

A senior US trade delegate arrived in Beijing Monday to discuss China's WTO responsibilities, AFP reported. The US embassy confirmed that James Mendenhall, general counsel for the US Trade Representative's office, would hold WTO-themed discussions focusing on issues such as intellectual property rights and auto parts. Mendenhall, who is due to stay until Saturday, will meet with commerce ministry officials. Prior to his departure, he said that the use of a formal WTO complaint is on the table but the US is not at the retaliation stage yet. Meanwhile the commerce ministry announced that it was willing to make efforts to narrow China's US$202 billion trade surplus with the US.