China, US's Harsco Sign Construction Joint Venture

ELAINE KURTENBACH

HANGZHOU, China (AP) — U.S. officials will raise perennial trade issues, including copyright piracy and Chinese restrictions on U.S. farm products, in talks Thursday that are expected to smooth frictions ahead of President Barack Obama's first visit to China.

Before the annual talks, held in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said he hoped for progress on protecting intellectual property, clean energy, medical devices and pharmaceuticals — the sorts of nuts-and-bolts issues the gathering will focus on.

On Wednesday, Locke and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk observed the signing of a joint venture agreement between a China's state-run Zhejiang Construction Materials Corp. and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based Harsco Corp. — the kind of job-creating deal the U.S. side would like to see more of.

"The profound reality is that trade means jobs and this joint venture means good jobs in both America and here," Kirk said.

Washington and Beijing have regularly butted heads over trade disputes this year, and China sharply criticized an Obama administration decision last month to impose stiff tariffs on Chinese tire imports to protect U.S. manufacturers.