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Former ambassador says U.S. needs a watchful eye on intellectual property

The former ambassador to China says the U.S. needs to safeguard its ag research.

Terry Branstad says the Phase One trade agreement has helped the U.S. protect intellectual property rights.  “That is an ongoing concern.  We’ve made some progress, but we need to continually vigilant because they have a history of doing that.”

He says the Chinese have already been caught. “We caught a Chinese researcher I think corn technology from Pioneer in Iowa and that person was prosecuted.”

Speaking to reporters at the Nebraska Ag and Economic Development Summit, Branstad says that’s one example of why protecting intellectual property became a priority. “That’s one of the things we’ve worked on in the Phase 1 Trade Agreement is to try to do a better job protecting intellectual property rights in China.”

Brandstad was the keynote speaker Wednesday afternoon and he joined Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts for a conversation regarding human rights, trade and security with China.