After a crucial trip, Yellen declares that US-China relations are on "Surer Footing"

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reassured officials during a four-day visit to China, aiming to revive engagement between the two largest economies. The visit was a mission to revive engagement, as tensions between Washington and Beijing have escalated into a tit-for-tat trade war. 

Yellen emphasized the benefits of trade with China and stressed that diversifying supply chains in narrow areas is not the same as decoupling. During her visit, Yellen held ten hours of direct, substantive, and productive talks, bringing US-China ties closer to a "surer footing." She also held a broader exchange with Premier Li Qiang on the US-China relationship. 

Yellen's task in Beijing was challenging, as she sought to air concerns about Chinese economic policies while calling for greater cooperation and engagement on global challenges like climate change and debt distress in poorer nations. This test of a policy aimed at defending and securing US national security without trying to hold China back economically.