Janet Yellen tells China the world is ‘big enough for both our countries to thrive’

US treasury secretary feels trip to Beijing has steadied ties and improved communication despite significant disagreements' between the powers

The US treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, has said a four-day trip to Beijing has put ties with China on a surer footing" and paved the way for better communication between top officials who run the world's two largest economies.

This relatively modest outcome had been flagged by US officials and expected by analysts before Yellen arrived, and is a reflection of how fraught one of the world's most critical relationships had become.