US Raises Concerns Over China's Trade Policies

On a visit to China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday raised concerns about Beijing's trade policies and "non-market economic practices," stressing that the US seeks "healthy" economic competition with China, the State Department said.

Blinken, on a three-day visit to China, raised his concerns in a meeting with Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining in Shanghai before leaving for the capital Beijing, said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Demanding a "level playing" field for US workers and firms operating in China, Blinken said US President Joe Biden is committed to "direct and sustained" dialogue between the world's two largest economies after years of mounting tension.

The two sides, according to the statement, reaffirmed the importance of ties between the people of the two countries, including an expansion of exchanges between students, scholars, and business.

"We have an obligation for our people and, indeed, an obligation for the world to manage the relationship between our two countries responsibly," Blinken was "ed as saying.

"And I think the direction from President Biden and President Xi was to continue to build those lines of communication, to sustain, and again, to deal directly with our differences as we also seek to build cooperation," he added.

Welcoming Blinken's visit, Chen said "constructive interactions and the stable relations" between China and the US have not only advanced bilateral cooperation and exchange in all different aspects but also help address global challenges and promote world peace and development.

"So whether China and the U.S. choose cooperation or confrontation, it affects the well-being of both peoples of nations and also the future of humanity – it is a major impact on the choice," he added.

Earlier, Blinken also met students at the Shanghai campus of New York University, saying Washington is committed to welcoming Chinese students.

Blinken is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Li on Friday to discuss a host of thorny issues, ranging from the Middle East to Ukraine war, and trade and the economy.​​​​​​​ -