Shy smiles from the U.S. and China on trade — Yellen meets Liu
United States Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen met China’s top America-whisperer, Liu He, over a cordial “introductory virtual meeting.”
China’s top trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liú Hè 刘鹤, spoke with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen via video call yesterday.
- Both sides made nice noise about improving relations, according to readouts from Xinhua (in Chinese) and the Treasury Department.
- The meeting follows Liu’s conversations with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai last week, which ended in a tepid but resolute call for mutual cooperation.
“In recent months, Beijing has indicated its desire to restore regular, high-level meetings between China and the U.S.,” says the Wall Street Journal, which also notes that Liu’s “call with Ms. Yellen marked the continuation of his role as Beijing’s point man for the U.S.-China economic relations, at least for the near term.”
The takeaway: No substantial changes in U.S.-China ties are coming, but the two sides have begun talking at senior levels again. It’s not going to be easy, as a brief scan of today’s headlines about the two countries illustrates:
- A rising yuan sets the stage for more China-U.S. currency friction / WSJ (paywall)
- Wuhan lab leak theory: Questions on coronavirus origin may hurt U.S.-China ties / Bloomberg (paywall)
- Official talks DOD policy role in Chinese pacing threat, integrated deterrence / U.S. Department of Defense
- U.S. secretary of state warns Pacific leaders about ‘coercion’ in veiled swipe at China / Guardian
