EXCLUSIVE: The Chinese government blocked Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s recent speech on the economic relationship between the US and China from being viewed inside the country by disabling links to websites displaying her address, it said. by a US official at Fox News Digital.
Yellen spoke at Johns Hopkins University about bilateral relations on April 20.
“The United States continues with confidence in the long-term strength of the economy,” Yellen said in her speech. “We remain the world’s largest and most dynamic economy. We also remain steadfast in our commitment to defend our values and national security.”
“Within that context, we seek a constructive and fair economic relationship with China,” he added.
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UNITED STATES – MARCH 16: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testified at the Senate Finance Committee hearing on The Presidents Fiscal Year 2024 Budget, at the Dirksen Building on Thursday, March 16, 2023. (Tom Williams)
A US official told Fox News Digital on Friday that WeChat, the Chinese instant messaging and social media app, had disabled the sharing option for posts made by the US Embassy in China related to Yellen’s speech.
The official said the US embassy in China posted a version of Yellen’s speech on its website, translated from English to Chinese. WeChat blocked the opening of the embassy website and Treasury Department websites within the app, according to the official.
Another Chinese social media app, Weibo, also disabled links to the embassy’s website. The Treasury Department declined to comment.
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Yellen outlined the US approach to China, maintaining the importance of securing “our national security interests and those of our allies and partners,” while also protecting “human rights.”
“We will clearly communicate our concerns about its behavior to the PRC, and we will not hesitate to defend our vital interests,” Yellen said.
American and Chinese flags are waving. Feb. 2, 2022, (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)
“As in all of our foreign relations, national security is paramount in our relationship with China,” Yellen added. PRC is important to the national interest. .”
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Yellen did say that the US seeks a “healthy economic relationship with China: one that fosters growth and innovation in both countries.” But he warned that the United States will “continue to work with our allies to respond to China’s unfair economic practices” and will continue to “make critical investments at home” to advance the United States’ vision for in “an open, fair, and rules. -based global economic order.”
Yellen added that the US is seeking “cooperation” with China on global challenges, such as climate and “debt distress.”
Chinese officials criticized Yellen’s remarks saying the US is “performing the concept of national security” so that “no one dares to oppose it.” The officials also accused the US of wanting to “suppress China” and “decouple with China.”
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Yellen and other top Biden administration officials, including CIA Director Bill Burns and FBI Director Christopher Wray, have warned that China poses the greatest threat to US national security.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is the latest administration official to sound the alarm over China’s threat.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, July 19, 2022. Chung Sung-Jun/Pool via REUTERS (Chung Sung-Jun/Pool via REUTERS)
Sullivan spoke at The Brookings Institute on Thursday, and echoed Yellen’s remarks.
“As Secretary Yellen said last week in her speech on this topic, we can defend our national security interests, have a healthy economic competition, and cooperate where possible, but China must be prepared to play its part,” Sullivan said Thursday.
Sullivan, pointing to Yellen’s remarks, said that “economic engagement remains a critical part of the administration’s strategy in managing the US-China relationship.”
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“With his help, the president is leading investment in US innovation and industries that position us to continue with confidence as we compete,” Sullivan said.
Following President Biden’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in December, administration officials said diplomatic channels between Washington and Beijing could “be expanded.” However, communication channels between the United States and China’s militaries have been closed since former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last summer.
