China, US agree to “improve communication” bilaterally

In a meeting with the vice-premier of China this Wednesday (18.jan.2023), Liu HeUS Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen pledged to collaborate to manage bilateral disagreements and improve communication between the 2 countries to “avoid competition becoming something close to a conflict”.

The meeting between the leaders was held in Zurich (Switzerland), where the World Economic Forum 2023. This was the highest-ranking personal meeting between the China and the USA since the respective presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden met at the G20 summit in November 2022.

Yellen and He discussed economic and financial issues. They also addressed environmental issues and the “importance of sustainable development” worldwide. According to the Treasury Department (full – 45 KB, in English), the leaders pledged to support emerging countries for sustainable development.

“[EUA e China] agreed that they would increase cooperation on climate finance on a bilateral and multilateral basis, as in the HIM [Organização das Nações Unidas], G20 e APEC [Cooperação Econômica Ásia-Pacífico, na sigla em inglês], as well as by supporting emerging markets and developing countries in their clean energy transitions,” says the US agency.

In an interview with reporters after the meeting, Janet Yellen stated that the 2 countries “have the responsibility of administering [as] differences and prevent the competition from becoming something close to a conflict”.