The United States and China have an “obligation” to manage their relationship responsibly, despite “major disagreements” between them, the US Treasury secretary said in Beijing on Thursday.
“The two nations have an obligation to manage this relationship responsibly: find a way to live together and share global prosperity,” said Janet Yellen, at the end of a four-day trip to the Chinese capital.
The official stressed the “vital importance” of the contacts between the two countries, noting that contacts with the Chinese rulers contributed to the advancement of Sino-US relations, placing them on a “firmer footing.”
“We believe that the world is big enough for our two countries to prosper,” he declared.
Since her arrival in Beijing on Thursday, Yellen has been received by various Chinese government officials, including Prime Minister Li Qiang, in meetings in which she advocated more exchanges and cooperation, despite the differences.
“Overall, I think my bilateral meetings, which lasted about 10 hours over two days, were a step forward in our efforts to put US-China relations on a firmer footing,” Yellen said.
The US will continue to take “specific measures” to protect the security of the country, but these trade restrictions are not intended to “obtain an economic advantage” over China, the secretary guaranteed, referring to the imposition, in recent months, of restrictions on companies Americans in the supply of semiconductors.
China, which seeks to become independent in this field, considers that these measures are intended to prevent its development and maintain US supremacy.
“It is important to note that these actions are motivated by simple national security considerations. We are not using them for economic advantage,” he said.
This visit, Yellen’s first since taking office in 2021, took place a few weeks after Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to China and marks the determination of US President Joe Biden’s administration to stabilize the tense relations between the two greatest powers in the world.
The meeting on Saturday between Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng resulted in an agreement on “strengthening communication and cooperation to address global challenges,” according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.
Although the US Treasury Secretary acknowledged the existence of disagreements between the two countries, she guaranteed that the discussions in Beijing were “direct, substantive and productive.”
Source: TSF
