Mr. Cassidy helps clients expand trade opportunities in the China market and helps businesses operate in China, from gaining access for goods to securing market opportunities for services within China’s regulatory framework. Mr. Cassidy has developed extensive working relationships with Chinese Trade Ministers as well as other senior trade officials through his work on China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Mr. Cassidy helps businesses resolve trade problems throughout Asia, dealing with market access for information technology products, with protection of intellectual property rights, and with market access within the regional preferential trade arrangements.
In addition, Mr. Cassidy has worked with businesses and trade associations to gain global access through preferential arrangements such as information technology, chemical harmonization and other sectoral agreements.
Mr. Cassidy was appointed assistant U.S. Trade Representative for China in 1997 and was the chief U.S. negotiator on China’s 1999 Market Access Agreement with the United States for China’s accession to the WTO. That agreement was the basis for congressional support for permanent normal trade relations. Previously, he was assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Asia/Pacific region, including the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum during 1992-1997.
Mr. Cassidy also served as the deputy assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Industries, responsible for sectoral negotiations on steel and shipbuilding. He was lead negotiator for the United States in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development negotiations on an International Shipbuilding Agreement, and was chairman of the negotiating group under the GATT on a multilateral agreement on steel. Before joining the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, he served in the Office of Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the Department of the Treasury and as an economist at U.S. International Trade Commission.
Robert B. Cassidy is not licensed to practice law.
