Sino-US trade talks to tackle IPR and beef

WASHINGTON - The two-day annual US-China trade talks, which start on Tuesday in Washington, will try to ease tension and seek more cooperation in bilateral economic development, especially in intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, trade and investment policies.

It will also pave the way for President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States in January, which will set the tone for bilateral ties for the coming years.

US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and US Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk will co-chair the 21st session of the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) with Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan. US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will also join the dialogue.