WASHINGTON - United States Trade Representative Rob Portman today announced an addition to the USTR staff. Tim Stratford begins as soon as he can relocate his family from Shanghai to Washington.

"I am delighted to welcome Tim to our team," said Portman. "He has an impressive breadth of experience working in China and the region, both for the U.S. government and in the private sector.  He brings the on the ground knowledge that will be crucial at this critical time in our relationship with China."

Timothy P. Stratford - Assistant USTR for China Affairs.

Mr Stratford will be responsible for developing and implementing U.S. trade policy toward Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and Mongolia.

Since 1998, Mr Stratford has served as General Counsel for General Motors' China operations, where he has been a member of GM's senior management team in China and has overseen the company’s legal and trade policy work in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Before that, he was a partner in the Beijing office of Coudert Brothers, a New York City-based international law firm (1995-1998), a volunteer leader for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Taiwan (1992-1995), Commercial Attache and then Minister-Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the US Embassy in Beijing (1988-1992), and associate attorney at the Paul Weiss law firm in its Beijing and Hong Kong offices (1983-87).

Mr Stratford earned his law degree at the Harvard Law School and has a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Chinese from Brigham Young University. From 2000-2001, Stratford served as the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. He is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.