The Internet of Things (IOT) is another ongoing transformational technology that is changing and will continue to change our lives.  Gartner calculates that there were roughly 8.4 billion IOT connected devices in 2017 and there will be about 20.4 billion in 2020.   This SIIA White Paper describes the benefits for consumers, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare.    The United States, among other countries (including China) is taking advantage of the opportunities presented by IOT.  The important thing in this context is to maintain and, if possible, expand the American IOT adoption rate.  Why is this important?  First, it matters because the United States has a comparative advantage over China in this space.  Second, manufacturing, a sector prioritized by the Trump Administration, will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of IOT.  Third, consumers benefit economically from IOT, but the technology is also a matter of conve ...

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.

United States Trade Representative Michael Froman announced on July 18 the creation of a digital trade working group.  This will “serve as a ‘Rapid Response’ team to identify and combat barriers to digital trade around the globe, as well as promote sound policies to advance global digital trade.” This is from SIIA’s perspective an excellent initiative.  It is especially significant that the Working Group will, among other things, focus on the enforcement of existing trade law commitments pertinent to digital trade.  SIIA strongly supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), and the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA).  In order to build support for this expansive trade agenda, vigorous enforcement of existing commitments is helpful. Clearly, USTR is looking at all means at its disposal to enhance the international position of the digital sector write large.  The emph ...