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Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen raised eyebrows when she held a meeting with China’s vice premier and bowed multiple times on greeting him.
Yellen, who served as chair of the Federal Reserve before becoming Joe Biden’s top financial official, wrapped up her first visit to China as treasury secretary on Sunday.
Both Washington and Beijing said the meetings during her four-day trip were fruitful, although the visit – designed to help smooth a rocky relationship – did not generate any concrete agreements.
On Saturday, Yellen met Vice Premier He Lifeng, and bowed effusively on meeting the top Chinese official.
Beijing’s official Xinhua news agency said the meeting yielded an agreement to ‘strengthen communication and cooperation on addressing global challenges’.
Yellen said Sunday told a press conference that her talks with top Chinese officials have helped put ties on ‘surer footing’.
Former White House staffer Bradley Blakeman, who served during President George W. Bush’s administration, told the New York Post that Yellen’s kowtowing to the Chinese official was inappropriate.
‘Never, ever, ever – an American official does not bow,’ said Blakeman. ‘It looks like she’s been summoned to the principal’s office, and that’s exactly the optics the Chinese love.’
