WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this week signed an agreement with China to strengthen the relationship between the two countries in the area of motor vehicle safety and to improve enforcement standards. "We are strengthening the lines of communication and cooperation to improve the safety of vehicles and automotive equipment in both our countries," said NHTSA Administrator Nicole R. Nason. "This agreement will also help us to better enforce our standards." The bilateral arrangement, formally signed between NHTSA and China's National Development and Reform Commission, sets out a range of cooperative goals, including developing safety standards for automotive equipment and enforcing those standards. The agreement also encourages developing and disseminating consumer information, developing and sharing automotive safety research, and sharing efforts on improving vehicle fuel economy. After a signing ceremony at the Department of Transportation headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Chinese delegation and NHTSA officials exchanged information on requirements and procedures used in both countries to ensure compliance with automotive safety standards, as well as the processes involved in conducting safety investigations and recalling vehicles and motor vehicle equipment.