US and China pledges to stabilize their tense relationship after US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken’s two-day visit to Beijing.

The US and China have pledged to stabilize their tense relationship following US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken’s two-day visit to Beijing. Blinken met China’s President Xi Jinping for talks on Monday, restarting high-level communications between the rival superpowers. President Xi said they had made progress, while Blinken indicated that both sides were open to further talks. But the top US diplomat made clear that there remained major differences.

Relations between Beijing and Washington have plummeted in the wake of a Trump-era trade war, Beijing’s assertive claims over Taiwan and the shooting down of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over the US earlier this year. Meanwhile, Blinken’s visit is the first by a top US diplomat in almost five years.