The United States measures towards China's IPR related cases : a comparison between Bush's and Obama's Presidencies

Abstract

The United States Special 301 Report is a compilation of Intellectual Property Related Cases occurring in states throughout the world and actions taken by The US to counteract these cases. In the early 2000s, one China rose quickly into the Special 301 Priority Watch List and has remained there ever since due to many IPR related cases occur in the country thus having the US counteracting these violations in numerous measures. It is interesting however, that seeing the measures conducted by the US towards China in the span of 16 years, split between the Bush and Obama administration, shows signs of weakened pressure towards the Chinese. This weakened pressure is shown through the different approach utilized by the Bush and Obama administration. Bush ended in relying on the World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Understanding, while Obama relied on bilateral channels, mostly through the Joint Commission of Commerce and Trade between the two states. This difference in approach and weakened pressure was brought upon by the different leadership style and congress composition during each administration, showing the role of a leader’s leadership style in shaping a state’s economic foreign policy.