US begins section 301 investigation of china

On August 18, 2017, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) formally announced a Section 301 investigation into China's IP practices.  USTR will determine within a year "whether any act, policy, or practice described in section 301 of the Trade Acts exists and, if that determination is affirmative, what action, if any, to take."  The investigation will seek to determine whether any Chinese government practices may be harming American IP rights, innovation or technology development.