Today I testified before the United States Trade Representative on China’s compliance with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments.  See this document for my testimony and this United States Information Technology Office (USITO) submission to USTR.  In addition to the serious Intellectual Property Rights issues and other matters such as China’s so-called secure and controllable cybersecurity policies discussed during the testimony, today’s hearing underscored three additional big picture factors that that policymakers need to address as a new administration soon takes office. They can be summarized as follows.

Today, the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) joined other groups in announcing its support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and urges Congress to approve it after the Administration submits the agreement in a timely fashion. 

The Thursday November 5 release of the Transpacific Partnership (TPP) agreement text shows that the 11 negotiating countries got the data flow provisions right. The 21st century electronic commerce chapter provisions will benefit many sectors beyond the software and information industries that SIIA represents.

A new Congress and a reinvigorated Administration mean legislation of interest to SIIA’s members is likely to pass in 2015.  We intend to be pro-active and vigilant to ensure that this legislation responds to the broad public interest, including preserving and advancing the business interests and opportunities of SIIA’s member companies.