SHANGHAI (AP) — Sen. Patty Murray says U.S. lawmakers have urged China to tackle currency reforms. They also talked with their Chinese counterparts about such contentious topics as Taiwan and Iran’s nuclear program.
The Washington state Democrat warned Chinese lawmakers in interparliamentary talks that members of Congress face strong pressure to look after their constituents, especially given the weakness of the U.S. economic recovery so far.
After a visit to Beijing and Shanghai, Murray said Friday that in order to help the U.S. economy grow again, America needs “open, fair and good trade with countries like China.”
Murray attended the talks with fellow Sens. Roland Burris, a Democrat from Illinois, and Kit Bond, a Republican from Missouri.
Critics of China’s currency policies contend that Beijing keeps the Chinese yuan undervalued, giving its exports a price advantage and adding to the country’s massive trade surpluses.
