Biden’s commerce secretary is the latest Cabinet member to visit China in a bid for improved ties

By WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is the latest member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet to visit China as his administration tries to mend the deteriorating ties between the world’s two largest economies. She promises to be “practical” without compromising the U.S. push to “responsibly” manage that economic relationship. Raimondo plans meetings with Chinese officials and U.S. business leaders in Beijing and Shanghai in an effort to “promote a healthy competition, a competition on a level playing field, playing by the rules.” She told reporters before leaving Washington on Saturday that she also is “very realistic and clear-eyed about the challenges. And the challenges are significant.”