Two-thirds of our markets and an even larger share of IT spending growth are outside our borders. The foundation of our success in international markets rests on a competitive US economy that acts as the driving force for growth and innovation around the world. 

The industry’s trade agenda is closely connected to a broader set of issues facing the US economy and central to assuring the industry’s future as a global innovation leader:  R&D and tax policy, market access and trade facilitation, immigration, energy and environment, healthcare and workforce development, and protection of intellectual property rights.  Technology and innovation are essential components in the calculus of spurring American competitiveness, job creation and global economic development. 

With more than 338 million Internet users and 600 million mobile subscribers today, China has seen its domestic demand for ICT goods and services grow rapidly in recent years. At the same time, China is adopting policies that promote unique national standards and provide unfair advantages to domestic companies. ITI monitors these and other policies and actively advocates on behalf of our members through ITI's strong relationships in both capitals.

In Beijing, ITI works closely with the U.S. Information Technology Office (USITO) and the U.S. Embassy. We maintain close contact in Washington with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Capitol Hill, and other trade associations to ensure high-tech issues in China are given high priority on the U.S. trade policy agenda.

• Indigenous Innovation

  Indigenous innovation is a policy concept developed by the Chinese government to boost the creation and commercialization of proprietary ideas and technologies by Chinese companies.  ITI welcomes China’s efforts to innovate, but opposes discriminatory and problematic measures China has adopted in many areas to achieve this goal.

The United States and China are important economic partners, and ITI hopes the two sides will work together to eliminate discriminatory practices that create unfair market conditions.

•  2010 USITO Comments on China's WTO Compliance
  Beijing-based U.S. Information Technology Office (USITO) and its parent associations, including ITI, submitted comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) outlining its views on China's WTO performance in the high-tech sector. Every year since China's WTO accession in 2001, USTR solicits public comments to assist in writing the annual USTR report to Congress on China's compliance with commitments made in connection with its accession to the WTO.

Examples of such practices, which are inconsistent with globally accepted norms, include government requirements to turn over or disclose key intellectual property (IP) or to use country-specific encryption algorithms in information security products sold in that country; requirements that information security products be tested/certified in domestic laboratories that are not fully accredited to global standards; bans on the sale and/or use of imported or foreign encryption products or on the sale of certain IT products for unsubstantiated security reasons; and a lack of transparency into related policy, legislative, and regulatory development processes.

It is imperative that all governments approach cybersecurity standards and conformity assessment policies in a manner that will achieve the requisite levels of security needed to meet national security concerns while preserving interoperability, openness, and economic development.  ITI works closely with the U.S. Government, foreign governments, and domestic and foreign trade associations to address cybersecurity market access concerns and to encourage the use of internationally accepted cybersecurity standards and practices outside of the United States.

ITI also helps to shape legislative solutions on Capitol Hill that will meet domestic security needs while similarly recognizing the global nature of the cyber marketplace.

ITI advocates for technical standards and regulatory policies that allow governments to meet their regulatory objectives, while minimizing the impact on trade. ITI's work on these issues helps to open innovation and competition among businesses and ensure that the benefits of ICT reach global consumers in the most efficient way.

The current decentralized voluntary, market-driven standardization system has helped fuel significant economic growth and prosperity around the world, and has proven its ability to help advance productivity, capability and competitiveness. ITI is committed to promoting and expanding global adoption of this highly successful approach. 

We are dedicated to working with all stakeholders to identify, prioritize and address technology challenges that face people with disabilities and age-related limitations.

ITI is working towards the international harmonization of procurement practices and technology standards for accessibility in order to create a reasonably uniform global playing field for technology companies and to ensure the availability of increasingly high quality accessible ICT for all people. Ultimately, harmonization enables manufacturers to focus on responding to customer needs, encouraging innovation and competition to deliver the best solution.

To advance digital inclusiveness in a cost-effective manner for industry, ITI's Accessibility division continues to actively engage the European Commission and the U.S. government to promote a harmonized approach to ICT accessibility, based largely on the successful U.S. standards created by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. This Act requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information and communication technology is accessible to people with disabilities.