Secretary Yellen Concludes Beijing Trip, Calls US-China Talks ‘Productive’

Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen concluded a four-day trip to China on Sunday, in which she said dialogue between the nations was “productive.”

The Details: Yellen visited Beijing with hopes of stabilizing a currently shaky U.S.-China relationship. Yellen said Washington is not looking to distance itself from China’s economy and stressed the importance of communication between the two countries. Notable points of discussion included U.S. sanctions against China, semiconductor exports, a potential BRICS currency, and China’s support of Russia in Ukraine.

For Context: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China in June, becoming the first American cabinet official to do so since 2019. Blinken’s sentiments following the trip were similar to that of Yellen’s, however, the next day President Joe Biden angered Beijing by referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “dictator.” In February, the U.S. discovered a suspected Chinese Spy Balloon flying over North America, and last August, disregarding aggressive rhetoric from China, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.

Key Quotes: Yellen said, “No one visit will solve our challenges overnight. But I expect that this trip will help build a resilient and productive channel of communication.”

How The Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum covered the news similarly, highlighting the modest expectations for the talks between the two nations, and Yellen’s leveled assessment of “progress.”