WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The United States and China will hold annual high-level trade and economic talks the week of Dec. 13 in Washington, a top U.S. trade official said on Tuesday.
U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce Francisco Sanchez told reporters he hoped the talks would yield progress on resolving U.S. concerns about barriers to China's government procurement market and protection of U.S. intellectual property rights.
Sanchez and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis were in Beijing last week to prepare for the upcoming annual meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.
"It was very productive and I'm optimistic that we'll see some progress in December," Sanchez said. "We're still trying to lock down the specific dates, but it will be the week of the 13th."
The JCCT is chaired on the U.S. side by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Trade Representative Ron Kirk. China's side is led by Vice Premier Wang Qishan.
The annual forum does not deal with currency concerns, a major topic of conversation between the United States and China.
But it is the main venue for the United States to try to resolve concerns about Chinese industrial policies it believes discriminates against U.S. firms. (Reporting by Doug Palmer; editing by Jim Marshall)