US Under Secretary of Commerce pledged to further relax the country's export policies to increase the transfer of civilian technologies to China at a roundtable meeting on Monday.

The US wish to increase hi-tech exports to China, said their Under Secretary of Commerce David H. McCormick Monday. 

"We need to do everything possible to ensure US export control policies are not standing in the way of US civilian technology transfers to China," said McCormick at a roundtable meeting with press during his China visit. 

He said the US would update "export policies to China" and seek out ways to reduce the administrative burden on civilian trade. The US official added that the policies should not "discourage civilian technology trade".

In the past few years there'd been many constructive steps in promoting civilian technology trade, said McCormick. The amount of time it took for export licenses to be granted had been cut by almost a quarter to less than 40 days, he observed.

"We don't want to be a burden on industries and this has been a great improvement," he said.

In the past, the export controls have been a major trade obstacle between China and the US. The Chinese government believes the policies have greatly contributed to the trade imbalance between the two nations.

The American companies doing businesses in China are not happy with the controls either. In an annual report released last week the American Chamber of Commerce in China said that 44 percent of US-funded companies surveyed said they lost significant sales in China because of US policies.

The Chamber appealed to Washington to relax export controls in sectors such as high technology.

"We completely agree with the Chamber and are looking for ways to reduce the licensing burden and increase hi-tech exports to China," said McCormick. He said he'd meet with the Chamber to help continue to grow hi-tech trade to China.

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2006)