BBC News:
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held “candid” talks with his Chinese counterpart at the start of two days of meetings with officials in China, the US state department says.
Mr Blinken emphasised the need for diplomacy and keeping “open channels of communication”, a statement added.
His trip is the first by a top US diplomat to China in almost five years.
A planned Blinken visit in February was called off after a suspected Chinese spy balloon flew in US airspace.
US officials say the main goal of the Beijing talks is to stabilise a relationship that has become extremely tense.
China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang told Mr Blinken that Beijing was committed to building a stable, predictable and constructive relationship with the US, state media said. US officials said he had agreed to a visit to Washington at the talks.
Mr Qin said Taiwan was the “most prominent risk” for China-US relations and described the Taiwan issue as one of “China’s core interests”, state media said.
China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing’s control, but Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland with its own constitution and leaders. US President Joe Biden said last year that the US would defend Taiwan in the event of an attack from China, a move condemned by Beijing.
Mr Qin greeted Mr Blinken on Sunday morning at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, a lavish estate that typically hosts visiting dignitaries.
The two shook hands as they stood before their respective flags, then sat down with their delegations at long tables to begin their meetings.
The greeting was business-like, underscoring the chilly relations that have developed between the two superpowers in recent years.
