JABAR EKSPRES – US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Monday met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing in an effort to restore lines of communication between the United States and China.

Prior to meeting with Xi, Blinken had met with State Councilor and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, and senior diplomat Wang Yi.

Blinken said that the US and China have an obligation and responsibility to manage their relationship “in the interests of the United States, the interests of China, and the interests of the world,” the State Department said in an official transcript released today.

“Over the past few days I had candid and constructive conversations with State Counselor Qin Gang and Director Wang Yi. We discussed a wide range of bilateral and global issues. I appreciate this opportunity to discuss the path forward with you (Xi),” Blinken said.

Meanwhile, Xi said China agreed to follow up on the mutual understanding agreed between him and Biden at the G20 meeting in Bali last November.

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According to Xi, every interaction should always be based on mutual respect and sincerity. He hopes Blinken’s visit to Beijing can make a positive contribution to stabilizing relations between China and the US.

Blinken’s visit to China comes amid increasingly tense relations between Washington and Beijing, especially after the incident of a Chinese spy balloon crossing United States airspace.

Beijing has also cut off inter-military communication channels with the United States after Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited Taiwan in August last year.

Blinken became the first US state official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.