U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen struck a positive but pragmatic tone after completing a high-stakes trip to China, even as she pressed officials in Beijing on a range of "unfair” economic practices.
Yellen’s comments were delivered at a news conference capping a four-day visit to Beijing that she’d described as a mission to revive engagement between the two largest economies. Frictions between Washington and Beijing have soared in recent years over issues ranging from Taiwan to technology access.
While in China, Yellen held ten hours of talks that she described as "direct, substantive” and had brought U.S.-China ties closer to a "surer footing.” Half of that time was spent with her counterpart, Vice Premier He Lifeng, the first extensive exchange between the two policy chiefs since China’s new economic team was appointed. During a shorter meeting with Premier Li Qiang, she had a broader exchange on the U.S.-China relationship.