As growth stalls for the U.S. and China, Blinken talked up economic ties in high-stakes Beijing trip
BEIJING — Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the importance of the economic aspects of the bilateral U.S.-China relationship during his high-stakes trip to Beijing earlier this week.
In a press conference Monday that wrapped up his visit, Blinken noted record high trade between the two countries, and said the U.S. is «prepared to cooperate with China» in «macroeconomic stability,» among other areas of mutual interest.
Earlier that day, he met with U.S. businesses in China working in health care, automotive and entertainment, the State Department said. The head of U.S. foreign policy meeting with businesses can't be considered a given on trips of this nature.
«I know particularly when Blinken was [scheduled to be] coming before in February, we lobbied and we were told there was no time for the business community,» Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, told CNBC.
Hart said he didn't know what may have changed since then, but noted similar attention to business when German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Beijing in April.
«That would suggest the politicians do very much understand the economic linkages and the importance for political stability between those two economies,» Hart said. «It's significant.»
The German Chamber of Commerce in China said that during her Beijing trip, Baerbock visited German company Flender, a gearbox manufacturer.
Chairman Colm Rafferty and Vice Chair Roberta Lipson attended the meeting with Blinken on behalf of AmCham China. The U.S. Department of State referred CNBC to Blinken's press conference Monday when asked about AmCham China's comment about failing to get a meeting with the secretary during his planned February trip.
Blinken met
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