The United States will revise some of its proposed export controls on the sale of high technology products to China, says Christopher Padilla, Assistant US Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration.

Padilla is in China from January 24 to 30 at the invitation of the Ministry of Commerce.

"The reason I'm here is to hear views from the Chinese government to see what their concerns are, and we will take those into account as we go back and make some revisions to that regulation (on export controls)," Padilla told reporters at the US embassy on Friday afternoon.

"We are expected to issue the final form of the regulation sometime later this spring," said Padilla, who is responsible for developing and implementing US policies on the export of items controlled for national security, foreign policy and non-proliferation reasons.

But Padilla did not reveal what the changes would be, saying they required more discussion.

The proposed export control rules were released by the US Department of Commerce on July 6 last year. The rules add civilian-use, high-tech products to the US government's export control list and could set up new trade barriers and hinder the exchange of high-technologies.

The move sparked dissatisfaction among US business circles and China has repeatedly urged the US administration to ease export controls.

However, Padilla said the restrictions would probably affect only a small amount of trade.

"Our control is very targeted, only affecting about 5 percent of US exports to China."

Xinhua

(China Daily 01/27/2007 page2)