With the Joe Biden administration reportedly planning further restrictive measures regarding the United States' chip exports and investments in China, how Beijing responds will show how much it believes the we-don't-mean-to-harm-you message US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sought to deliver during her four-day visit to China.

It was hoped that as one of the few figures in the Biden administration that can talk reasonably about China, Yellen's visit would help to build "a resilient and productive channel of communication" between the Biden administration and Beijing, as well as make some breakthroughs in certain specific economic realms.

The amicable atmosphere that prevailed during her meetings with all her Chinese hosts and the comparatively positive responses forthcoming from the Chinese side both point to that first goal being largely realized, thanks to the pragmatism of both the guest and hosts.

The two sides should strive to carry forward that positive momentum in a bid to renormalize their strategic communications in the economic field first. This would be "a step forward" in the two sides' efforts "to put the US-China relationship on surer footing", as Yellen said.

However, the extent to which the second goal can be realized, and how well the communication recovers, depends on how much Yellen has allayed Beijing's fears that the US will do "something that would have broad-based impacts on the Chinese economy" — which sounds more like a threat rather than reassurance that the Biden administration wants to improve ties.

Although Yellen stressed "That's not the case. That's not the intention", adding that the Biden administration does not see US-China relations "through the frame of great power conflict", that is the impression Beijing has been left with given the actions of the US.

The Biden administration has clearly defined China as the primary challenge to the US, and acted accordingly. It regards China as "the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it", as stated clearly in The Administration's Approach to the People's Republic of China issued in May last year.

She reiterated the claim that the US would take "targeted actions" that are "transparent, narrowly scoped and targeted to clear objectives". These are supposedly aimed at protecting its own national security interests and those of its allies. But that does not change the bullying, coercive and suppressive nature of the moves that have been narrowly scoped and targeted at China's high-tech companies, innovation capacity, security departments and strengths in trade.

Not to mention the US' persistent provocations over the Taiwan question and in the South China Sea. Although that's not the treasury secretary's concern, how can Beijing ignore them?

Having said that, since Yellen's communication was with functional departments, if there are any positive practical outcomes after her visit it would represent some movement in the right direction.