US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrived in Beijing today, Thursday, to begin a four-day visit that includes meetings with senior Chinese officials, as Washington seeks to stabilize relations between the world's two largest economies. Her visit follows weeks after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing, while tensions remain high with China's announcement of export controls on certain essential metals for semiconductor manufacturing just days before Yellen's arrival. Upon her arrival in the Chinese capital, Yellen expressed her pleasure at being in Beijing and looks forward to making progress on President Joe Biden's goals.
"I am glad to be in Beijing to meet with Chinese officials and business leaders. We seek a healthy economic competition that benefits American workers and firms and to collaborate on global challenges," Secretary Janet Yellen tweeted. She added, "We aim for fair economic competition that benefits American workers and companies and to cooperate in addressing global challenges."
Yellen also stated, "We will take action to protect our national security when needed, and this trip presents an opportunity to communicate and avoid miscommunication or misunderstanding."
Yellen received a modest welcome from a Chinese finance ministry official and Nicholas Burns, the US envoy to China. Tomorrow, Yellen will meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and the senior economic official Liu He, who is close to President Xi Jinping.
