US commerce chief Gina Raimondo plans China trip as tensions over tech controls simmer
- Raimondo, whose emails were recently hacked in a breach tied to China, has been at the forefront of White House efforts to curb Beijing’s access to advanced technology
- Her trip could come at a sensitive time in the bilateral relationship, with Biden set to sign an order curbing critical US technology investments in China by mid-August
US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo is planning to visit China in late August, according to people familiar with the matter, part of the Biden administration’s effort to reduce tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Raimondo is aiming to travel to Beijing the week of August 21, although the dates are not finalised and could shift, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss her plans.
It is also still unclear what Raimondo could expect to deliver for US businesses, the people said, and the commerce chief is hesitant to go without knowing that the trip will yield positive outcomes for American firms.
The Commerce Department’s press office declined to comment on trip timing and did not respond to questions about the topics Raimondo would want to discuss with her counterparts.
She said at an event in Washington last week that she plans to go to China “later this summer” but is “still finalising a date and plans”.
Raimondo, whose emails were hacked earlier this month in a breach tied to China, has been at the forefront of White House efforts to curb Beijing’s access to advanced technology, including export controls announced last year.