She will also tell her Chinese counterparts that Washington is not seeking to decouple the two economies while reserving the right to protect human rights and US national security interests through targeted actions, the official added.
Even though no major breakthroughs are expected, US officials say Yellen will push to open new lines of communication and coordination on economic matters, and stress the consequences of supplying lethal aid to Russia, an assertion China has adamantly rejected.
When Chinese ambassador Xie Feng met Yellen in Washington on Monday, he urged the US to “pay great attention” and move to tackle China’s main concerns on the economy and trade.
Trade tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and sanctions against Chinese firms are the country’s chief concerns, said Wu Xinbo, an American studies specialist at Fudan University, who is familiar with Beijing’s thinking.
Yellen’s long-anticipated trip comes weeks after a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping that the mutual rivalry should not veer into conflict, amid a freeze in talks between their militaries.
Both visits are seen as critical to improving communication after the US military shot down a Chinese balloon over the United States.
They come ahead of a possible meeting between President Joe Biden and Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering scheduled for November in San Francisco.
Source: CNA
