Yellen sees desire in Beijing and Washington to build fruitful relations between the two parties

 In an interview aired on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen highlighted a shared desire between China and the United States to achieve stability in their relationship and address challenges constructively.

Her comments came during an episode of the program "Marketplace" on National Public Radio (NPR) following her four-day visit to China, where she met with the new team leading the Chinese economy.

Yellen stated, "There are challenges, but I do believe there is a desire on both sides to achieve stability in the relationship and to address problems constructively, as we see them."

She added that the goal is to do so "frankly, honestly, and with respect to build a productive relationship in the future."

Yellen described her visit to China as successful, noting that the United States and China had "drifted apart" due to instances of misunderstandings.

She emphasized that in order to strengthen and improve these relations, "it is necessary that we meet openly to discuss our differences with respect and candor and to develop regular channels of communication."

She continued, "That was certainly one of the main objectives of my trip. I think it was successful in that regard."

During her visit to Beijing, Yellen met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Vice Premier He Lifeng, Finance Minister Liu Kun, and PBOC Governor Pan Gongsheng, whom US officials describe as the head of the Chinese central bank.

While the visit did not lead to breakthroughs, both Washington and Beijing agreed to maintain communication.

Yellen stated that the United States is open to hearing China's concerns, and when asked about reciprocity, she responded, "We fully expect that we will have more frequent communications at several different levels and have opportunities to explore concerns."

With trade restrictions topping the list of disputes, Yellen told reporters on Sunday that new measures would be implemented "in a transparent way" and "narrowly" in sectors that raise concerns related to national security.

She added, "I want to allay their concerns that we might do something that has a broad-based impact on the Chinese economy."

 

AFP