U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce David H. McCormick said Monday in Beijing that the United States want to increase its hi-tech exports to China.

"We need to do everything possible we can to ensure US export control policies are not standing in the way of U.S. civilian technology transfers to China," said McCormick at a round table meeting with press during his trip to China.

He said the U.S. will update "our export policies to China," looking for ways to reduce the administrative burden on civilian trade.

The U.S. official said that the policies should not "discourage civilian technology trade".

In the past few years, there have been many constructive steps in promoting civilian technology trade, said McCormick. The amount of time it takes for export licenses to be processed has been cut by 24 percent, to under 40 days.

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

The export controls have been a major trade obstacle between China and the United States. The Chinese government believes the control policies have greatly contributed to the trade imbalance between the two nations.

The American companies doing businesses in China are not happy with the export controls. 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 U.S. 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 will meet with the Chamber to help continue to grow hi-tech trade to China.

Source: Xinhua