Markets Wired

Federal Trade Commission Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen, and Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, participated today in high level bilateral meetings with officials responsible for China’s three anti-monopoly agencies. From the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Vice Chairman Hu Zucai and Director General Zhang Handong. From the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), Assistant Minister Li Chenggang and Director General Wu Zhenguo. And from the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC), Vice Minister Wang Jiangping and Director General Yang Hongcan. NDRC Chairman He Lifeng welcomed Acting Chairman Ohlhausen and AAG Delrahim to NDRC before the meetings.

The meetings took place earlier today in Beijing, China, where participating agencies discussed their ongoing work to ensure fair and effective antitrust enforcement and increased interagency cooperation. The meetings covered a wide range of topics including enforcement and policy developments and priorities, the antitrust treatment of conduct involving intellectual property and its role in promoting innovation, and future opportunities for cooperation. The agencies also exchanged views on the role of sound and effective procedures in competition enforcement and the importance of competition advocacy. Meetings will continue through Friday with separate meetings between U.S. antitrust enforcers and each of the three Chinese agencies.

“Having closely followed the implementation of the Anti-Monopoly Law over the past decade, I was pleased to engage with our Chinese colleagues to discuss recent developments and issues of concern to our agencies,” said Acting FTC Chairman Ohlhausen.

The U.S. delegation’s visit to China is the fourth occasion for joint, high-level meetings between the agencies since the FTC and the Justice Department signed an antitrust memorandum of understanding with the Chinese antitrust agencies on July 27, 2011. The MOU is designed to promote communication and cooperation between the U.S. and Chinese antitrust enforcement agencies and provides for periodic high-level consultations.

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