US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to Beijing from July 6-9 to discuss a range of issues with senior Chinese officials, including US concerns about China’s new counterintelligence law, a senior Treasury official said Sunday.
Yellen’s long-awaited trip is part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to deepen communication between the world’s two largest economies, stabilize the relationship and reduce the risk of mistakes if disagreements arise, Reuters news agency.
This happened just a few weeks after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing and agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping to stabilize relations and ensure that the two countries’ fierce rivalry does not escalate into conflict. China protested loudly when Biden called Xi a “dictator,” but analysts said the comment did little to improve relations.
The finance minister plans to inform the new Chinese economic team that Washington will continue to protect human rights and its national security interests by taking targeted measures against China, but wants to work with Beijing on pressing challenges such as climate change and the debt crisis plaguing many countries. ..
“We seek a healthy economic relationship with China that promotes growth and innovation in both countries,” the official said. “We do not seek to separate our economies. A complete halt to trade and investment will have a destabilizing effect on our two countries and the global economy,” he added.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, declined to give details about which Chinese officials Yelin will meet in Beijing. Another administration official told Reuters that Yellen was expected to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Leifeng.
