U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is due to travel Thursday to China to meet with senior officials in the latest effort to address strained relations between the two countries.
The Treasury Department said in a statement Sunday that Yellen’s visit would take place from July 6-9 and follows a directive from President Joe Biden to deepen communications on issues such as financial developments and the global macroeconomy.
“While in Beijing, Secretary Yellen will discuss with PRC officials the importance for our countries — as the world’s two largest economies — to responsibly manage our relationship, communicate directly about areas of concern, and work together to address global challenges,” the statement said.
A senior Treasury Department official told reporters Sunday that the United States wants a healthy economic relationship with China and that halting trade and investment “would be destabilizing for both our countries and the global economy.”
Yellen’s visit follows Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to China last month in which he and President Xi Jinping agreed to stabilize U.S.-China relations and ensure that areas of disagreement do not turn into conflict.
News credit: VOA