Chinese Ministry of Commerce Vice Minister Wang Chao (left) and U.S. Trade and Development Agency Acting Director Leocadia Zak (right) exchange the signed Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Trade and Development Agency and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China in Support of U.S.-China Trade Cooperation, with the support of with the support of principal leaders from the Chinese delegates and U.S. hosts, (L to R) China’s Ambassador to the U.S. Zhang Yesui, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Liu Lihua, Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, Acting U. S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke during a signing ceremony at the conclusion of the 23rd Session of the US-China Joint Commission of Commerce and Trade at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012. Supporting the signing is Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (center). The JCCT holds high-level plenary meetings on an annual basis to review progress made by working groups that focus on a wide variety of trade issues. These working groups meet throughout the year to address topics such as intellectual property rights, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, information technology, tourism, commercial law, environment, and statistics. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.