TIA strongly believes that the United States should, both bilaterally and multilaterally, ensure a competitive world market for ICT equipment through the enforcement and expansion of existing trade agreements, as well as the negotiation of new trade agreements. TIA Government Affairs works to ensure market access for ICT products and information by working to develop new rules for digital trade, eliminate taxes on trade and ensure strong trade enforcement – all of which reinforces American global economic leadership.

China

Through a lengthy series of industrial roadmaps, China is striving to become a global leader in key technology fields such as telecommunications equipment, semiconductors, software, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. This drive to boost domestic industry has been accompanied by a concerning attempt to undermine and shrink the role of U.S. and other foreign technology firms. China has proceeded to issue a complex array of overlapping rules and standards it says are necessary for national security, many associated with the Cybersecurity Law that took effect in June 2017.  TIA members are concerned that China’s growing slate of security rules may disadvantage U.S. exporters selling into China’s commercial markets.

India

India has violated international trade commitments through duties it has imposed on ITA-covered products. The violations follow from duties announced in July 2017 on mobile phones, smart phones and base stations, as well as previously-issued levies on a range of ICT equipment technologies. TIA is advocating that the Indian government rescind duties on imported ICT equipment as levies impede investor confidence and needlessly raise prices on technology products and services for India’s own citizens, making it more difficult for the government to achieve the goals of Digital India.