Raimondo’s four-day trip aims to restore bilateral cooperation
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a four-day visit, hoping to ease the tensions between the world’s two largest economies over technology issues. Raimondo is the fourth high-level member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China since June, following Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and climate envoy John Kerry.
Raimondo’s trip coincides with the expiration of a 44-year-old bilateral science and technology cooperation agreement, which China has urged the US to renew. The agreement, signed by then-US president Jimmy Carter and Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979, has enabled American and Chinese scientists to work together on various fields of research. The US State Department said it is seeking a six-month extension to the agreement with certain amendments.
The Chinese government has also expressed its dissatisfaction with the Biden administration’s efforts to curb Beijing’s access to advanced technology, including export controls and investment restrictions. Raimondo has been at the forefront of these policies, which aim to prevent US and allied technology from being used by China’s military or for human rights violations.
Raimondo meets with Chinese officials to discuss trade and tech issues
During her visit, Raimondo met with several Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Liu He, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng. She also visited the headquarters of Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant that has been sanctioned by the US over national security concerns.
According to a statement from the US Commerce Department, Raimondo discussed a range of trade and technology issues with her Chinese counterparts, including market access, intellectual property rights, cybersecurity, supply chain resilience and climate change. She also raised concerns about China’s unfair trade practices, such as forced technology transfer, industrial subsidies and market distortions.
Raimondo said she had “frank and productive” conversations with the Chinese officials, and that both sides agreed to continue dialogue and cooperation on areas of mutual interest. She also said she conveyed President Biden’s vision for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and his commitment to “defending human dignity and democratic values”.
Raimondo seeks to balance competition and cooperation with China
Raimondo’s visit reflects the Biden administration’s strategy of balancing competition and cooperation with China, while avoiding confrontation or conflict. The US has identified China as its most serious rival in the 21st century, but also recognizes the need to work with Beijing on global challenges such as climate change, pandemic response and nuclear non-proliferation.
Raimondo said she hopes her visit will help build trust and confidence between the two countries, and pave the way for future engagement. She also said she wants to create more opportunities for US businesses in China, especially in emerging sectors such as clean energy, digital economy and biotechnology.
However, Raimondo also acknowledged that there are significant differences and disagreements between the US and China that cannot be resolved overnight. She said she will continue to advocate for a level playing field for American companies and workers, and protect US national security interests.
