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Liao Xiaoqi's sigh was calculated; they had been used to this gesture by the Chinese negotiator. Diplomacy was a very slow process, marked by incremental benchmarks trying for a compromise. With each tiny benchmark, you get closer to a solution. That didn't mean it wasn't boring as hell to deal with.
Tim Futterman didn't mimic the gesture, although he did want a cigarette in the worst way. Even the Chinese had finally gone to a non-smoking policy during the meetings, and no doubt the odd jitters that Liao's team was displaying had more to do with a nicotine deficiency than nervousness on their position.
"Vice Minister, without an agreement on patent enforcement that contains real measures by the Chinese government, the United States cannot move forward on opening up any additional sectors of protected trade."
"The United States forgets that they do not get to dictate terms to the rest of the world, Mister Under-Secretary. China only seeks a fair balance in trade, and without that balance, we cannot endorse an unfair trade practice as part of an agreement."
"Vice Minister, rhetoric aside, the Chinese government wants access to a technology that is currently exclusive to the United States." Futterman pointed across the table. "Fair trade applies to mutually held technologies and resources."
"Resources apply in this case, Mister Under-Secretary. We have graciously opened up access to our population to a number of American companies with the expectation that the technology would be shared with China. Now the United States is blocking the fulfillment of that promise." Xiaoqi said. "This is not fair trade practice."
"Genome modification is an extremely potent technology, Vice Minister, potentially the next arms race."
"Yes, and you're mining our population for the resources you need." Xiaoqi said. "Under-Secretary Futterman, if we're providing the fire, the United States needs to let us examine the spear."

Tim Futterman didn't mimic the gesture, although he did want a cigarette in the worst way. Even the Chinese had finally gone to a non-smoking policy during the meetings, and no doubt the odd jitters that Liao's team was displaying had more to do with a nicotine deficiency than nervousness on their position.
"Vice Minister, without an agreement on patent enforcement that contains real measures by the Chinese government, the United States cannot move forward on opening up any additional sectors of protected trade."
"The United States forgets that they do not get to dictate terms to the rest of the world, Mister Under-Secretary. China only seeks a fair balance in trade, and without that balance, we cannot endorse an unfair trade practice as part of an agreement."
"Vice Minister, rhetoric aside, the Chinese government wants access to a technology that is currently exclusive to the United States." Futterman pointed across the table. "Fair trade applies to mutually held technologies and resources."
"Resources apply in this case, Mister Under-Secretary. We have graciously opened up access to our population to a number of American companies with the expectation that the technology would be shared with China. Now the United States is blocking the fulfillment of that promise." Xiaoqi said. "This is not fair trade practice."
"Genome modification is an extremely potent technology, Vice Minister, potentially the next arms race."
"Yes, and you're mining our population for the resources you need." Xiaoqi said. "Under-Secretary Futterman, if we're providing the fire, the United States needs to let us examine the spear."