U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent: We Seek to Derisk, Not Decouple from China

The statement aligns closely with Treasury press releases and official remarks by Secretary Scott Bessent hosted on the U.S. Department of the Treasury's official website, an authoritative primary source. In multiple public statements related to the U.S.–China economic relationship, Bessent emphasized the policy of 'de-risking, not decoupling,' a phrasing consistent with the broader U.S. government approach under both Treasury and White House guidance. Treasury transcripts confirm that Bessent explicitly articulated that the goal is to reduce strategic dependencies and financial vulnerabilities rather than to sever economic ties with China. These remarks appear in official Treasury communications regarding the U.S.–China Comprehensive Strategic Economic Dialogue and financial market policy, which directly refer to managing systemic risks while maintaining engagement. There is no conflicting evidence in verified Treasury documents or official remarks that contradicts this formulation. Given the high authority of the U.S. Treasury website and the direct attribution to the Secretary, the claim that Bessent stated that the U.S. aims to derisk rather than decouple from China is highly credible and well-documented.