In preparation for Blinken's visit to China

US delegation discusses improving relations with Beijing

Blinken will visit China early next year.

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A high-level US delegation, during a visit to China, discussed ways to improve relations with Beijing and the Taiwan issue in light of preparations for a scheduled visit by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken early next year.

The talks, involving US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs Daniel Krittenbrink, National Security Council Director for China and Taiwan Laura Rosenberger, and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xi Feng, were held in the northern province of Hebei, according to Beijing.

The visit comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden pledged to mend relations at the Bali summit in Indonesia last month.

Yesterday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the two sides held in-depth talks on implementing the consensus reached at the Bali summit between the two presidents.

Wang said the meeting also touched on Taiwan, an autonomous island that China stresses as part of its territory and a source of contention between Beijing and Washington.

Wang said Shi Feng, Kreitenbrink and Rosenberger discussed strengthening exchanges at all levels and agreed to maintain contacts.

And the US State Department reported last week that the delegation will attend Blinken's scheduled visit to China in early 2023, which will be the first visit by a US Secretary of State to the country in four years.

Relations between the United States and China have deteriorated in recent years over a range of issues including human rights, trade and technology.

During their meeting in Bali, Xi and Biden discussed controversial issues such as the future of Taiwan and US restrictions on imports of Chinese advanced technology. Biden left the meeting stressing that a new Cold War should not break out, while Xi told his US counterpart that the two countries share common interests.

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