Treasury secretary meets with Chinese counterparts

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrived in the port city of Guangzhou on Thursday for the first day of a weeklong trip to China. She is scheduled to meet diplomatically with Chinese officials and American business leaders in China, according to a Treasury Department statement. She will advocate for U.S. national security and business interests while seeking to advance a healthy economic relationship with China, the Treasury Department said.

Why this visit? U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on the phone for the first time in months earlier this week. During that call, both leaders expressed a desire to improve their governments’ communication, according to a White House statement. Biden has tasked Yellen with stabilizing the countries’ economic relationship, she said in a statement Wednesday.

What are some specific topics she’ll focus on? China’s output—Yellen called it over-production—of electric vehicles, batteries, and solar cells has created pressure on the United States, Europe, Japan, and Mexico. The Treasury Secretary said she would not rule out tariffs and other trade barriers to nurture the United States’ green energy industry.

What do Republicans have to say? The Republican National Committee acknowledged Yellen’s visit to China, referring to an instance during her last visit, during which she shook hands with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and bowed to him multiple times.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD Magazine about China’s attempts to increase its economic influence in Africa.