US commerce chief meets Chinese counterpart in Beijing

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo began her visit to China with a meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Monday.

It is the first trip to China by a sitting US commerce chief in seven years.

Discussions between the US and Chinese sides are expected to cover all issues including attempts to decrease tensions between the world's top two economies.

Raimondo, who arrived in Beijing on Sunday night, is also expected to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Vice Premier He Lifeng, and is scheduled to visit Shanghai on Tuesday and Wednesday, daily South China Morning Post reported.

Early this year in May, Raimondo and Wentao met for two days in Washington.

The two had discussed trade, investment and export policies during their meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Detroit, Michigan.

Wang and Raimondo had agreed to “strengthen exchanges on specific economic and trade concerns and issues concerning cooperation,” according to the Chinese Commerce Ministry.

Raimondo is among four high-ranking US officials to visit China since June.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry are the other three officials who visited Beijing and held high-level meetings.

Blinken paid a courtesy visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping, too.