Top US and Chinese trade officials meet in Washington

Top Chinese and U.S. business and trade officials are to meet in Washington on Thursday, Beijing said, in an infrequent direct conversation between leaders of the world’s two largest economies.

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao is scheduled to meet Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Wang’s ministry confirmed, although Washington did not comment on the talks.

As US President Joe Biden met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Bali last November, Thursday’s trade talks in Washington would make this the first cabinet-level meeting in the US capital between US and Chinese officials under the Biden administration. .

Wang is in the United States for the 2023 APEC Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Detroit on Thursday and Friday.

During the Washington talks, “the Chinese side will exchange views on China-US relations and issues of common concern,” Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson Shu Jueting said in a briefing. regular in Beijing.

On Monday, Wang met with representatives of U.S. companies in Shanghai, including Johnson & Johnson, 3M, Dow, Merck and Honeywell, according to the Commerce Ministry, telling them that “China will continue to welcome U.S.-funded companies.” United States to expand in China and achieve win-win results.”

But China on Sunday said U.S. chipmaker Micron posed a national security risk and banned the company from selling its memory chips to major domestic industries. The ban follows a series of raids on American consultants operating in China.

Wang’s trip to the United States follows a recent summit in Hiroshima of leaders of the Group of Seven major industrialized countries, during which Biden and other G-7 leaders targeted China for “economic coercion and said they would “decrease the risks”. without “decoupling” from the world’s second largest economy on a range of products.

“China hopes the G-7 will not abuse trade and investment restrictions while affirming that it will not seek to dissociate itself from the country,” Shu said.

Wang met with US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns in Beijing earlier in May amid speculation of a visit by senior US officials. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a trip in February after the United States shot down a Chinese spy balloon that was flying over sensitive military sites.

Raimondo and Blinken, as well as US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, have all expressed interest in visiting China.

Certain information contained in this report comes from Reuters.