China’s state-owned media has weighed on the recent meeting between US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese vice-premier Liu He (刘鹤) – considered one of the most influential economic policymakers in Beijing.
According to an article originally published by Global Times, the two-and-a-half hour meeting between Yellen and Liu held on 18 January during the latter’s participation in the Davos World Economic Forum marks the first meeting between two senior US and Chinese officials in 2023.
The article entitled “The World Hopes to Hear Good News from China and the US” (世界希望从中美那里听到好消息) called for greater cooperation between China and the US with respect to economic and financial policy, despite recent trade tensions between the two countries.
“2022 still became a record year for Sino-US trade…China and the US are the world’s two largest economies, and irrespective of the angle you look at matters, it is obligatory to strengthen coordination of economic and financial policy and drive economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.”
The Global Times article also called for broader efforts to improve the relationship between China and the US.
“Except for anti-China politicians who seek to profit from ideology and fan public sentiment, most people in the US are indifferent to geopolitical conflict. This is because at the end of the day ordinary people all want to lead their lives. Washington’s foreign policy should make this its basis.
“At times, we can sense willingness in the US to improve relations with China, but there still has not been any substantive action. Perhaps an individual will leap forth in Washington who will restore the warmth between both parties which is not at all easy to achieve. Radical political forces occupying Washington have already become a huge uncertainty faced by Sino-US relations.”
