US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen held “frank and constructive” talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Friday.
A Treasury Department statement said Yellen “discussed the administration’s desire to pursue healthy economic competition with China that benefits both economies, including American workers and businesses.”
He also emphasized close communication on “global macroeconomic and financial issues and working together on global challenges, including the debt distress in low-income and emerging economies and climate finance.”
The US Treasury secretary began a four-day visit to China on Friday calling for market reforms in the world’s second-largest economy and warning that the United States and its allies will fight what it called China’s “unfair economic practices.”
Speaking Friday in Beijing before the American Chamber of Commerce in China, Yellen said: “The United States is not seeking a complete separation of our economies. … Decoupling the world’s two largest economies would be destabilizing for the world economy and would be virtually impossible to carry out.”
And while noting the importance of trade and investment with China, Yellen also “raised concerns, including barriers to market access, China’s use of non-market tools, and punitive actions that have been taken against companies.” Americans in Recent Months,” during a roundtable discussion with more than 10 American companies operating in Beijing.
“He also reaffirmed the US economic approach to China, which remains focused on three main objectives: securing vital interests related to national security and human rights; seek healthy and mutually beneficial economic competition, in which China abides by international rules; and seek mutual cooperation on pressing global challenges, including in the macroeconomy, climate, and global debt,” according to a Treasury Department statement on Friday.
Yellen arrived in Beijing on Thursday and tweeted that US President Joe Biden “charged his administration to deepen communication between our two countries on a variety of issues, and I look forward to doing so during my visit.”
Treasury Department officials said before the trip that Yellen would discuss stabilizing the global economy, as well as challenge China’s support for Russia during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Yellen was not expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
His visit, which is scheduled to last until Sunday, follows US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing last month.
Yellen met earlier this week with China’s ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, where the Treasury Department said Yellen “raised issues of concern while conveying the importance of the two largest economies working together.” on global challenges, including macroeconomic and financial issues. ”
Chinese state media said Xie expressed hope that the two countries would eliminate interference and strengthen dialogue.
[Parte de la información para este informe provino de The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse y Reuters]
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