USCIB facilitated an off-the-record dialogue with U.S. Government officials on the topic of U.S.-China cybersecurity last week in Washington DC. The meeting brought together officials from the White House, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Commerce, and USTR. After brief introductions by Tad Ferris, partner at Foley & Lardner LLP and chair of USCIB’s China Committee, Barbara Wanner, USCIB’s vice president of ICT policy and Eva Hampl, USCIB’s director, investment, trade and financial services, the group received a strategic overview of the U.S.-China cybersecurity relationship from Christopher DeRusha, senior cybersecurity advisor, Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer.

Discussions focused on the issue of cybersecurity from the perspective of different agencies. One of these perspectives was highlighted in a panel on trade-related aspects of the U.S.-China cybersecurity relationship, which was discussed by Jonathan McHale, deputy assistant USTR for Telecommunications and Electronic Commerce Policy, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and Christopher Wong, international trade specialist, Office of China and Mongolia, Department of Commerce.

Another panel addressed progress on law enforcement cooperation and international cooperation against third party threats.  This was discussed by Amit Kacchia-Patel, unit chief, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jordana Siegel, director, international affairs, Department of Homeland Security.

“Cybersecurity is an issue of growing concern for USCIB members, which is reflected in our submission of Priority Issues for the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, as well as our annual Statement on China’s Compliance with its WTO Commitments” said Hampl.

USCIB also recently signed on to a multi-association letter on China’s draft Cybersecurity Law and related pending cybersecurity regulations and measures.

Click here to read USCIB’s submission of Priority Issues for the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT)

Click here to read USCIB’s Statement on China’s Compliance with its WTO Commitments