On August 27, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo arrived in Beijing, starting a visit to China in the context of Washington seeking to stabilize relations between the world's two largest economies.
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| US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport, China on August 27. (Source: Reuters) |
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was greeted at Beijing Capital International Airport by Chinese Commerce Ministry official Lin Feng. Accompanying Secretary Raimondo was US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns.
During the four-day visit, the head of the US Department of Commerce will have a series of meetings with local officials in Beijing and Shanghai.
Ms. Raimondo is the first US Secretary of Commerce to visit China in seven years.
According to a previous announcement by the US Department of Commerce, the visit is expected to include constructive discussions regarding US-China trade relations, challenges facing US businesses, and areas where the two countries can cooperate.
Raimondo will deliver a message to China that Washington is not seeking an economic decoupling from the host country, U.S. officials said, but also that the United States will defend its national security.
Meanwhile, Chinese officials said the two sides will have in-depth discussions on challenges in bilateral trade relations.
Secretary Raimondo's visit follows US President Joe Biden's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last November to enhance exchanges between the two sides on a range of issues.
Recently, the Biden administration has sent a series of officials to China, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and the President's Special Envoy for Climate, Mr. John Kerry.
These visits are believed to pave the way for Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the US this fall to attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.
Two-way trade between the two countries fell 19.6%, or $67.6 billion, in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period last year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Last year, bilateral trade flows hit a record $690 billion.
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