Advertisement

Senior Chinese and US finance officials agree to ‘continue to meet regularly’ amid discord

  • Bilateral policy matters like financial stability, capital markets issues and anti-money laundering raised at meeting in Beijing
  • But analysts question potential for progress as US maintains hard line on a China beset by economic headwinds

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
11
Vice-Premier He Lifeng and a Chinese delegation of finance officials meets an American contingent at a gathering of the Financial Working Group in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Xinhua
Ji Siqiin Washington

Senior finance officials from the world’s two largest economies pledged to continue communication and deepen engagement after two days of meetings in Beijing concluded on Friday.

Advertisement
The third meeting of the Financial Working Group between China and the United States ended with “both sides agreeing to continue to meet regularly”, according to a readout from the US Treasury Department.

But analysts questioned how much further progress could be made given political contrasts limiting the working group’s ability to resolve more fundamental issues.

During a separate meeting with the American delegation on Friday, Vice-Premier He Lifeng said China was willing to work with the US to implement the important consensus reached in San Francisco, according to Xinhua, referring to the one-on-one meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum last November.

Beijing was also willing to promote the development of bilateral relations in a healthy, stable and sustainable direction, the news agency reported.

Advertisement
Advertisement