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Aug. 26 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo is visiting China this weekend, with technology expected to be the prime topic as a long-standing tech agreement between the two countries is set to expire.
On Sunday, Raimondo will arrive in China and face pressure from Beijing to renew the China-U.S. Science and Technology Agreement during her four-day visit. She will meet with senior Chinese government officials.
The China-U.S. deal was first signed in 1979 under then-President Jimmy Carter and has historically been renewed every five years. It serves as the umbrella agreement for the scientific relationship between the U.S. and Chinese governments but is now opposed by Republican members of Congress. Some of them argue that China uses it for military and defense purposes.
There is currently no immediate plan to renew the technology agreement, which was signed by Carter and former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.
Raimondo, the 52-year-old former governor of Rhode Island, will become the third member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet to visit China since June. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen traveled to Beijing in July, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a two-day trip to China in June.
While her main focus is to boost trade between the two countries, Raimondo is expected to discuss various pressing issues with Chinese officials, including Commerce Minister Wang Wenta, according to sources.
Data security, China’s anti-espionage laws, and the ban on the import of microchips produced by Micron Technology are expected to be among the most pressing topics.
In July, the Chinese government announced limitations on the exports of two rare raw metals used in microchip production. This move was seen as retaliation for earlier U.S. semiconductor export restrictions against Beijing under President Biden’s administration. The bans on gallium and germanium went into effect in August.
“I look forward to constructive discussions on our commercial relationship, challenges faced by U.S. businesses, and areas for potential cooperation,” Raimondo told reporters on Tuesday.
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