2023-05-19 07:06:47
The Chinese Minister of Commerce will travel to Washington next week, the Chinese authorities announced on Thursday (May 18). Minister Wang Wentao will meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and U.S. Commerce Ambassador Katherine Tai in Washington, said Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington.
Trade is one of the main sticking points between the two countries today. President Joe Biden has restricted sales of high-tech microchips to China, a move major US allies have embraced.
Mr. Liu said that the trade relationship between the United States and China had been damaged by the “unilateral protectionist measures by the United States”. “China, as always, advocates openness and cooperation and will continue to provide opportunities for international companies, including US companies, through its own development.”he told the press.
Maintain the dialogue
Beijing has recently sought to reconnect with a favorable dynamic with the Western powers. Last week, Wang met with Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell in Beijing, who welcomed a « phase positive » in relations between the two countries, after several years of trade tensions.
The United States, which sees China as its main long-term competitor, hopes with the restrictions on semiconductor sales to curb Beijing both militarily and economically, by reducing its ability to dictate global standards in terms of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. In November, in Bali, Mr. Biden had a cordial exchange with Chinese President Xi Jinping. But tensions quickly escalated after the United States spotted what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon above American soil. This episode led Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a visit to Beijing scheduled for February.
In an attempt to keep the dialogue going, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Vienna last week. The White House said they discussed sensitive topics, including Taiwan, a self-governing democratic island claimed by Beijing.
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