Antony Blinken is the first US secretary of state to visit China in five years. His visit aims to thaw the relationship between the two countries amid rising tensions over industry and Taiwan.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken participated in "candid, substantive, and constructive" talks in Beijing on Sunday with his Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang, aimed at easing tension between the two superpowers.
"The Secretary emphasized the importance of diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication across the full range
of issues to reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation," US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, adding that Blinken invited the Chinese foreign minister to Washington for further talks.
Blinken is the highest-level American official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office and the first secretary of state to make the trip in five years.
He was originally due to visit China in February, but the trip was postponed after the US shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States.
Meanwhile, tensions have continued to rise in the Taiwan Strait while the US and China have also stepped up their rivalry in the global semiconductor industry.
