China urges ‘practical’ US action on sanctions after Yellen talks

BEIJING (Reuters): China on Monday called on the US to take “practical action” in response to its “major concerns” about sanctions on Chinese firms, after US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrapped up more than 10 hours of meetings with senior officials in Beijing.

China agreed to “maintain high-level exchanges and communication at all levels in the economic field”, its finance ministry said in a statement.

But China also “required” the US to “cease the suppression of Chinese enterprises, lift bans on Xinjiang-related products, and take concrete steps to respond to China’s major concerns in economic relations between the two countries” the ministry said.

The United States has imposed sanctions on some companies for using forced labour in the far-western region of Xinjiang.

Beijing denies the use of forced labour and any other abuses there.

The ministry said China believed its development was an opportunity rather than a risk to the U.S. and that “strengthening cooperation between China and the United States is a realistic need and the correct choice of the two countries”.