Janet Yellen to kick off China visit on Thursday
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will visit China from April 4-9, the Finance Ministry said. This is Yellen's second trip to China in less than a year. According to the US Treasury Department, her visit will begin in Guangzhou where she will meet with Vice Premier He Lifeng and Guangdong governor Wang Weizhong, and speak with representatives of US firms. She'll then head to Beijing for talks with Premier Li Qiang, Finance Minister Lan Fo'an and central bank governor Pan Gongsheng. Yellen's visit came after Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden spoke on the phone this week. Xi said while China-US relations were beginning to stabilise, both countries need to pay attention to “negative factors” and avoid sliding into conflict or confrontation. The China Daily wrote in a recent editorial that Yellen is known for her "often pragmatic and relatively positive tone" in managing bilateral ties. Contrasting Yellen with "anti-China hawks in Washington," the report said she is well-suited for a "bridging role" as she has built trust with counterparts. (AFP & Agencies)