Elaine Chao, US Transportation Secretary is in China to attend the ninth China-US Transportation Forum and has met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on infrastructure and bilateral trade issues. 

Chao is the first cabinet member from the Trump administration to visit China since the countries started a heated tit-for-tat over trade. The trip will certainly pave the way for US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin who is due to lead a delegation to China for talks intended to ease trade tensions.

CGTN host Tian Wei caught up with Chao on the sidelines of the forum and asked her about President Donald Trump’s 1.5-trillion-US-dollar plan to repair and upgrade the US' infrastructure.

“It's very simple. The President envisions 1.5 trillion dollars investment spending. There will be a minimum 200 billion in direct federal spending. The rest will be leveraged through state and local governments and the private sector.” 

“But in our country there are certain states in which the private sector is not allowed to participate in financing of public infrastructure. So one of the first things that needs to be done is to pull back these restrictions.” 

For Chinese firms to possibly invest in this plan, Chao said finding a local US partner is a first. “The President has made it clear that we prefer to have American jobs. So for any foreign entities that are coming in, I would suggest that they set up a US presence and partner with a US company.”

But Chinese companies have had joint venture partners in the US before, yet still have difficulties getting in the US. Chao said for technology there are restrictions, because the US has rules on technological transfers. What is being discussed here is only about building bridges and roads. 

“The federal government will not be deciding on a local project. We will fund these projects to a certain percentage. So the entities, be they American or foreign, they need to find a local project first to invest in. That's the channel through which the federal dollars will be granted.” explained Chao. “The majority of the plan will be repairing and rebuilding new infrastructure, 25 percent will be devoted to rural America, and 15 percent to transformative technology infrastructure."

In return, would the US be willing to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative as it also deals with infrastructure? When asked about how the two countries can cooperate under the BRI, Chao said she really is not qualified to talk about this. “I’m concerned about American infrastructure. But we hope that there will be opportunities for American companies to invest as well.”

Chao was the first Asian American woman and the first Chinese American in U.S. history to be appointed to a President's Cabinet. Chao is married to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 3, 2015. 

“World Insight with Tian Wei” (22:15 BJT, 14:15 GMT) will air the full interview on Monday, April 30.