Cooperation Between the Technology Administration of the United States Department of Commerce and the Science and Technology Commission of The People's Republic of China; Civil Indistrial Technology Coordinating Committee

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Technology Administration

[Docket No. 9805-29140-8140-01]

Cooperation Between the Technology Administration of the United

States Department of Commerce and the Science and Technology Commission

of The People's Republic of China; Civil Indistrial Technology

Coordinating Committee

AGENCY: Technology Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for nominations for the coordinating committee.

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SUMMARY: The Technology Administration invites nominations of

individuals to appointment to the Civil Industrial Technology

Coordinating Committee established under the Implementing Arrangement

Concerning Cooperation in Civil Industrial Technology. The Technology

Administration will consider all nominations received in response to

this notice of appointment to the Coordinating Committee.

DATES: Please submit nominations on or before January 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations to Phyllis Yoshida, Office of

Technology Policy, Technology Administration, Department of Commerce,

Room 4411, Washington, D.C. 20230. Nominations may also be submitted by

fax to 202-219-3310.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phyllis Yoshida, telephone 202-482-

1287; fax 202-219-3310; e-mail Phyllis__Y[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Goals of the Implementing Arrangement

On October 24, 1996, the United States Department of Commerce and

the State Science and Technology Commission of the People's Republic of

China (hereinafter referred to as the ``Participants'') signed the

Implementing Arrangement Concerning Cooperation in Civil Industrial

Technology. It establishes a framework and goals for cooperation in

science and technology, and requires the creation of a joint Civil

Industrial Technology Coordinating Committee (``CIT Coordinating

Committee''). The Technology Administration is the executive

secretariat for this initiative.

The goal of the Participants is to promote mutually beneficial

cooperation among public and private entities in both nations, to

strengthen technological capabilities of the Participants, and to

broaden and intensify relations between their technological

communities.

Cooperative Activities

Cooperative activities under this Implementing Arrangement may

include, among others, joint research and technology projects, studies,

and investigations; joint technological courses, workshops,

conferences, and symposia; exchange of scientific and technical

information in the context of cooperative activities; and other forms

of scientific and technological cooperation as may be deemed

appropriate. Cooperative activities should reflect technological

strengths in China and the United States, and should be structured to

provide an appropriate role for the private sector and academic

organizations.

Information on the CIT Coordinating Committee

The Participants intend to jointly establish a CIT Coordinating

Committee, consisting of 12 members, six to be designated by the

Department of Commerce, and six to be designated by the State Science

and Technology Commission. The Committee also includes the Executive

Secretariat and Secretariat, two government officials designated by

each of the Participants. The Coordinating Committee members will be

drawn from the private sector, representing private industry, academia,

or non-governmental organizations in the Participants'countries.

The members of the Coordinating Committee will be expected to carry

out the following functions:

1. Identify fields and forms of cooperation in accordance with the

goals and objectives of the Implementing Arrangement;

2. Review, assess, and make specific recommendations concerning

cooperative activities; and

3. Undertake other appropriate functions as may be approved by the

Participants.

Meetings of the Coordinating Committee

The CIT Coordinating Committee meets twice a year, alternating

between China and the United States to meet the objectives of the

Implementing Arrangement.

Length of Service

The Participants intend to maximize public participation through

regular rotation of CIT Coordinating Committee members. Committee

members will serve a three year term, with staggered term ends to

ensure that at least one-third of the membership is replaced annually.

Membership Criteria and Requirements

The U.S. members of the CIT Coordinating Committee shall be eminent

leaders from industry, academia, or government who have experience in

technology development, technology diffusion, or international

technology collaboration. The CIT Coordinating Committee members should

be familiar with the business climate, status of technology, and

economic development of China. They should be U.S. citizens. Members of

the CIT Coordinating Committee shall serve without compensation.

The Department of Commerce is committed to equal opportunity in the

workplace, and seeks a broad-based and diverse CIT Coordinating

Committee membership.

Conflict of Interest

Nominees will be evaluated for their ability to contribute to the

goals and objectives of the Implementing Arrangement. Nominees will be

vetted in accordance with processes established by the Department of

Commerce in February 1997, as soon as possible following tentative

selection. The vetting has three components: (1) an internal review for

possible appearance of conflict problems; (2) an external review for

possible appearance of problems; and (3) a recusal/ethics agreement

review.

Dated: November 4, 1998.

Kelly H. Carnes,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy.

[FR Doc. 98-30187 Filed 11-10-98; 8:45 am]

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