US Treasury Secretary to visit China this week

The US Treasury Secretary will visit China Thursday through Sunday to meet with Chinese officials, the US Treasury Department said.

During her stay in Beijing, Janet Yellen will hold talks with members of the Chinese government “on the importance of [os dois] countries, as the world’s largest economies, manage relationships responsibly,” the US Treasury Department said Sunday.

Yellen also intends to emphasize the need for “a direct discussion of issues of concern and work to solve global problems.”

“We do not expect this trip to bring any significant progress” in bilateral relations, a finance ministry spokesman said.

“However, we look forward to constructive discussions and the establishment of long-term channels of communication with China,” he added.

“During this trip, we want to deepen and increase the frequency of communication between our countries and stabilize relations, avoid misunderstandings and, if possible, expand our cooperation,” he said.

Diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries have gradually deteriorated since the administration of former US President Donald Trump.

In November, US President Joe Biden met in person with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time in an attempt to defuse tensions.

In mid-June, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken traveled to Beijing and was received by Xi Jinping, which was interpreted as a step forward in relations between the two countries.

However, at a campaign rally in California in late June, Biden called Xi a “dictator,” comments Beijing called a “provocation.”

Last year, the Biden administration imposed restrictions on the export of American semiconductors and technology components to China.

Prior to that, he maintained the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods exported by China to the United States.