US and Beijing in talks over Yellen and Raimondo trip to China

The Biden administration is in talks with Chinese Communist Party officials over the possibility of a visit by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to China to discuss economic issues. National Security Council coordinator John Kirby confirmed the discussions on Monday, and also expressed hope that Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s previously postponed visit to China would be rescheduled. The resumption of economic communication between the two countries is seen as a priority, particularly as military communication channels remain frozen.

China’s relationship with the US has been strained in recent months as Beijing increasingly aligns itself with Russia, evidenced by Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow this week, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders publicly discussed their shared global goals. The visit comes as officials start to warn that China is considering providing lethal aid to Russia for use in Ukraine, which the US government argues would not be in Beijing’s interests.

China has released a 12-point plan to end the ongoing conflict, but the plan awards Russia with the land it currently occupies in Ukraine, a proposal that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. The US has encouraged President Xi to advocate for the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory.

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