Leavitt to visit Port of Houston, China

Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. will lead a delegation to China next month for the next meeting of the U.S. China Strategic Economic Dialogue.

Paulson will be joined by Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson, Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner, and other administration officials.

The third Cabinet-level meeting of the Strategic Economic Dialogue    will focus on integrity of trade, balanced economic development, energy conservation, financial sector reform, environmental sustainability, and advancing bilateral investment, the Treasury Department said.

The dialogue was launched by President Bush and President Hu in September 2006.

Leavitt is also expected to finalize agreements with the Chinese government on the safety of Chinese-made goods exported to the United States.

On Wednesday, the secretary will tour the Port of Houston and discuss import safety. Leavitt leads an interagency working group that recently issued recommendations to the president to increase penalties, enhance enforcement, increase the presence of U.S. inspectors in foreign facilities and take other steps to protect consumers from unsafe imported goods.

Source: American Shipper