A new diplomatic meeting between China and the United States. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao in Beijing on Monday (August 28th), according to footage from state broadcaster CCTV. “Welcome […] It is a great pleasure to start this dialogue with you to coordinate on economic and trade matters,” Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao told his host.
The two officials exchanged face to face around long tables surrounded by their respective delegations, according to CCTV images. The Chinese and American flags are raised in front of them. This visit by Gina Raimondo to China, which is due to last until Wednesday, comes at a time when the two world powers have been trying to ease bilateral tensions in recent months.
The U.S. Department of Commerce said Gina Raimondo “looks forward to constructive discussions about U.S.-China trade relations, challenges facing U.S. businesses, and areas of potential cooperation.” Besides Beijing, Gina Raimondo will also go to Shanghai, he said.
For its part, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that Beijing would inform the minister of its concerns “while hoping for in-depth discussions” on “the resolution of economic and trade disputes”. Bilateral relations remain at loggerheads on many topics, from trade in Taiwan to the South China Sea.
Among the main disagreements are the trade restrictions imposed by the United States on the export of certain American products, in particular high technology, to China. Washington considers them crucial to preserve its national security. But Beijing believes that they are mainly aimed at curbing its economic growth and development.
During a visit to Beijing last month, Janet Yellen, the US Secretary of State for the Treasury, tried to reassure Chinese authorities about the multiple US restrictions. US climate envoy John Kerry visited China in July. As for the head of the American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, he had visited Beijing the previous month, the highest level visit by an American official since 2018.