The US-Taiwan Business Council and the American Electronics Association (AeA) announced today that their joint conference, US-Taiwan-China Integration: Wireless Communication's Critical Triumvirate, will discuss the implications for the adoption of an exclusive Chinese wireless networking security standard, WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure, or WAPI.

The event will be held on March 25, 2004 in San Jose, California. The implementation of the Chinese WAPI standard has been criticized by industry groups, technology companies, and the U.S. government. It presents a significant trade barrier, inhibiting access to the fastest growing market for wireless communications. In addition, the standard requires that U.S. companies unwillingly co-produce their technology goods with designated Chinese companies, raising concerns about intellectual property rights protection.

This conference will also examine the important role Taiwan and China play in the global technology supply chain–both through manufacturing and through R&D, provide an outlook on the growing wireless communications industry in both China and Taiwan, and analyze the impact of technology integration on U.S. businesses.