Yellen to Host Chinese Vice Premier for Talks in San Francisco
In a significant development aimed at easing tensions between the United States and China, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will be hosting Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for two days of talks in San Francisco. These discussions come just before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which is set to begin on November 11th. The meeting between Yellen and He is part of a series of high-level engagements between officials from the world’s two largest economies in an effort to establish open lines of communication and prevent conflicts.
The upcoming talks hold immense importance as they precede a potential meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the APEC summit. This would mark the first engagement between the two leaders in nearly a year, highlighting the desire for constructive dialogue and cooperation.
In an op-ed for The Washington Post, Secretary Yellen emphasized the need for resilient communication channels and for preventing disagreements from escalating into conflicts. She underlined that managing crises should not be the sole focus of the relationship between the U.S. and China.
These discussions follow President Biden’s hour-long conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the White House last month. During the same visit, Wang also held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Secretary Blinken had previously met with President Xi in June during his visit to Beijing.
Yellen’s last meeting with Vice Premier He took place in July during her visit to Beijing. During that meeting, she urged Chinese officials to cooperate on climate change and other global challenges while not letting trade disputes hinder overall relations.
It is expected that climate change will be a prominent topic during Yellen’s discussions with Vice Premier He in San Francisco. The Treasury Department stated that Yellen will also emphasize the Biden administration’s commitment to national security, the protection of human rights, and taking targeted action without seeking economic advantage.
While tensions between the U.S. and China remain high, particularly regarding U.S. export controls on advanced technology, the Biden administration has also criticized China’s economic practices, which it claims disadvantage American companies and workers.
The U.S. has also expressed concerns about China’s lending practices under its Belt and Road Initiative, citing excessive debt burdens and potential undue influence. Yellen highlighted these concerns in her op-ed and stated that she would raise the administration’s serious concerns over Beijing’s unfair economic practices, market access barriers, and coercive actions against U.S. firms in China during the meetings.
Additionally, the U.S. has repeatedly raised objections to China’s assertive actions in the East and South China seas. The U.S. military recently released footage of close encounters between American and Chinese aircraft, highlighting the need for de-escalation and adherence to international norms.
As these talks unfold, both nations have an opportunity to foster a more constructive relationship, address their differences, and seek areas of collaboration. The world will be closely watching the outcomes of these meetings, hoping for positive steps towards stability and cooperation between two global powers.
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[Title: Yellen to Host Chinese Vice Premier for Talks in San Francisco]
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