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China no threat to US, says Gutierrez

China's rapid growth into the world's manufacturing base poses no threat to the US, which must refocus on higher-end products, US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said yesterday.

"At a time when China is growing as a manufacturing exporter of low-priced goods, our unemployment is declining. And our economy is growing and the average take-home pay per American is increasing," Gutierrez said at a breakfast hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce in Japan.

"China has built its economy on the basis of manufacturing of commodity-type products. What we have seen in the US is that our new jobs that are being created are in the area of higher value manufacturing, differentiation of products, higher technology and in many cases new services," he said.

The remarks by Gutierrez, who visited China before Japan, came despite rising trade friction between Beijing and Washington.

In the latest criticism of Beijing, the US and Japan pledged to work together to defend intellectual property rights amid concern in both countries about piracy in rapidly growing China.

Gutierrez agreed in talks with Japanese trade minister Toshihiro Nikai, who visited China in February, that the two countries would "enhance bilateral cooperation" on protecting intellectual property rights.

"This is a partnership between two countries that believe passionately in the power of innovation, ideas, copyrights, trademarks and patents and will ensure that we make the world a safer place for consumers," Gutierrez said.

The cooperation would include exchanging information and sharing resources to address privacy concerns, "especially in third countries," a joint statement said.
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