Biden's commerce secretary is the latest Cabinet member to visit China in a bid for improved ties
abcnews.go.comCommerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is the latest member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet to visit China as his administration tries to mend the deteriorating ties between the world’s two largest economies
WASHINGTON — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is the latest member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet to visit China as his administration tries to mend the deteriorating ties between the world's two largest economies. She promises to be “practical” without compromising the U.S. push to “responsibly” manage that economic relationship.
Raimondo plans meetings with Chinese officials and U.S. business leaders in Beijing and Shanghai in an effort to “promote a healthy competition, a competition on a level playing field, playing by the rules.”
“I’m also very realistic and clear-eyed about the challenges. And the challenges are significant,” she told reporters before leaving Washington on Saturday on a trip that ends Wednesday.
The secretary said she wants to find “actionable, concrete steps where we can move forward on the commercial relationship,” but she offered few details. One matter to be discussed is promoting Chinese travel and tourism to the United States, with Raimondo noting the recent easing of restrictions on large Chinese groups visiting the U.S.
Raimondo's visit, like the July trip by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, is meant to show the administration's willingness to partner with China on economic development at a time of escalating tensions on foreign policy and national security and as Washington bolsters alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the European Union.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a two-day stop in Beijing in June, the highest-level meetings in China in the past five years.
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