US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visits China as part of efforts to soothe strained relations

By JOE McDONALD
AP Business Writer

BEIJING (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plans to tell Chinese officials that Washington wants healthy economic competition but will defend trade curbs imposed by the U.S. on security grounds. She also will express concerns about Beijing’s export controls on metals used in semiconductors and solar panels, according to a senior Treasury official who briefed reporters after Yellen arrived in Beijing as part of efforts to revive strained relations. Treasury officials said earlier she wouldn’t meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Yellen has warned against economic decoupling, or disconnecting U.S. and Chinese industries and markets. Businesspeople say that might harm innovation and growth as both governments tighten controls on trade in technology and strategically important goods.