China

The decision came under immediate criticism from Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). 

Lawmakers should investigate China's cyber espionage of U.S. military, government and commercial targets, a congressional advisory panel urges in a new report released Wednesday.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission made 32 recommendations to Congress, including reviewing legal penalties for companies found to engage in or benefit from industrial espionage. It also urged lawmakers to reexamine foreign direct investment from China to the United States and to consider requiring a mandatory review of controlling investments by government-controlled firms and adding an economic benefit test for Chinese investments.

“We have recommended that relevant Congressional committees further review Chinese cyber espionage practices and report their findings in an unclassified format,” committee Chairman Dennis Shea said in his opening remarks at a congressional hearing on the report. “In addition, we have recommended that Congress review acquisition and procurement guidelines to ensure that the U.S. department of Defense has the necessary tools to mitigate cyber-related supply chain threats.”

China said Thursday it has proposed a new plan for a Syrian cease-fire involving a phased-in regional approach and a transitional governing body.

China laid out its plan when Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with United Nations-Arab League Syrian envoy Lakhdar Brahimi on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters that under the "new proposal there are constructive new suggestions such as a ceasefire region by region and phase by phase, and establishing a transitional governing body.”

The World Trade Organization (WTO) on Tuesday established dispute panels in two cases involving the United States, one in which the U.S. is the plaintiff against China and another in which it is defending an action brought by Europe.

On China, the WTO has established a panel to look at antidumping and antisubsidy duties that China has slapped on U.S. auto exports. China has emerged as a major market for American automobiles, and the Obama administration alleges that China is engaging in protectionism without legal justification.

The Chinese tariffs, which range as high as 8.9 percent, were announced shortly after President Obama slapped safeguard tariffs on Chinese tires. 

In Monday’s third presidential debate, Obama noted that the U.S. has brought more WTO cases against China than during the two terms of the Bush administration, and he highlighted the tire tariffs. The moves are popular in the swing state of Ohio. 

“We will not stand idly by while China misuses trade remedy procedures and puts American jobs at risk,” said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk. “As we have demonstrated in numerous cases, we are serious about holding China accountable to its WTO commitments and ensuring that there is a level playing field for American workers and businesses.”

The U.S. initiated the WTO action in July and following mandatory talks in August, the WTO referred the matter to a dispute panel. The panel process can take as long as three to five years to work out.

In the European case, the WTO sent a European request to send $12 billion in annual trade sanctions against the United States to arbitration. The European Union claims that the U.S. has not abided by a ruling that found aircraft maker Boeing illegally benefited from subsidies in the form of military and space contracts and state aid. A separate compliance panel was set up to determine whether the U.S. has withdrawn the subsidies, as it has claimed.

U.S. trade officials announced Thursday that the World Trade Organization (WTO) has rejected China's appeal in a case over duties imposed on high-tech steel exports. 

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the WTO's Appellate Body ruled that Beijing had acted inconsistently with its trade obligations by illegally imposing duties on anti-dumping and countervailing duties on grain oriented flat-rolled electrical steel (GOES).

"The Obama administration will not stand by and allow China to break international trade rules," Kirk said.  

Congressional investigators plan to forward evidence to the FBI that Huawei was engaged in the bribery an American company.

Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei on Monday "unequivocally" denied a congressional report that declared them a threat to American national security.

Bill Plummer, Huawei's top spokesman in the United States, said that while the report is "quite strong on rhetoric, it is utterly lacking in substance."

"This report is little more than an exercise in China-bashing and misguided protectionism," he said during a conference call with reporters. "And selecting a world-respected company like Huawei as a proxy for such attacks is also an egregious example of libel."

A new report from the House Intelligence Committee is likely to accuse the Chinese companies of posing a security threat.

President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney were too busy attacking each other during their first presidential debate to take many potshots at China, one of the favorite targets for both parties.

Romney opened the debate, held in Denver, by saying he would boost the U.S. economy by increasing trade with Latin America and vowing to “crack down on China when they cheat.” Later, when discussing how he would bring down the deficit, he mentioned China when discussing which government programs are worth preserving.

“What things will I cut from spending?” he told moderator Jim Lehrer in one of the most memorable exchanges of the debate. “Well, first of all, I will eliminate all programs by this test, if they don't pass it: Is the program so critical that it's worth borrowing money from China to pay for it? And if not, I'll get rid of it.

The Obama administration says it is making strides in increasing the number of foreign visitors to the United States by reducing wait times in high-demand countries, leading to growth in travel and tourism-related jobs.

Visitor spending was up 3 percent in July over last year with at least four countries crossing the 1 million visa threshold this year, bolstered in part by the State Department's efforts to lower wait times while maintaining security standards, according to a progress report released Wednesday by the White House. 

The sector is expected to create more than 1 million jobs over the next decade. 

“Every year, tens of millions of tourists come from all over the world to visit America. That’s good for business, it’s good for the economy and it’s good for our country,” President Obama said.  

“I’m glad we’re making progress and I’ll continue to do whatever I can to strengthen the travel and tourism industry."