US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that her talks with top Chinese officials have helped put ties on "surer footing", as she wrapped up a trip aimed at stabilising fraught relations between the two biggest economies, reports AFP.

During her four-day trip -- which came on the heels of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken`s visit -- Yellen stressed the need for healthy economic competition and improved communication, and urged cooperation on the "existential threat" posed by climate change.

"We believe that the world is big enough for both of our countries to thrive," she told journalists at the US embassy in Beijing on Sunday.

"Both nations have an obligation to responsibly manage this relationship: to find a way to live together and share in global prosperity," she added.

While it did not produce specific breakthroughs, Yellen`s trip furthers a push by President Joe Biden`s administration to steady ties with China.

Beijing`s official Xinhua news agency said Saturday that Yellen`s meeting with Vice Premier He Lifeng yielded an agreement to "strengthen communication and cooperation on addressing global challenges".

Both sides also agreed to continue exchanges, the readout added.

Yellen said Sunday that while there are "significant disagreements" between the countries, her talks had been "direct, substantive, and productive".

"My bilateral meetings -- which totalled about 10 hours over two days -- served as a step forward in our effort to put the US-China relationship on surer footing," she said.

"I feel confident that we will have more frequent and regular communication."