US Secretary of State Blinken meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping

This is reported by AP and Xinhua.

Blinken met with Xi Jinping in Beijing.

During the meeting, the Chinese leader said that China respects the American interests and doesn't intend to oppose or replace the country, as the world community needs harmonious relations between China and the US, which will determine the fate of humanity.

Xi Jinping also called on the two countries to act responsibly for the world, promote global peace and cooperate in the same direction. At the same time, the two sides should adhere to the common understanding they reached in Bali and turn positive statements into actions aimed at stabilizing and improving relations between China and the United States, Xi added.

Earlier it was reported that the US State Department confirmed their meeting.

The agency notes that the absence of a meeting with the Chinese president would be a major obstacle to establishing and maintaining ties at the highest level.

Blinken will meet with Xi on the last day of his visit to China. The main purpose of the meeting is to restore diplomatic contacts after the February incident.

Blinken also met with Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office Wang Yi.

What is known about Blinken's meeting with Xi Jinping

On June 6, media reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to visit China in the coming weeks to meet with high-ranking officials, including Xi Jinping.

Blinken intended to hold meetings in Beijing in early February. However, the administration of US President Joe Biden decided to postpone the Secretary of State's trip to Beijing after a Chinese surveillance balloon was detected in its airspace.

On June 18, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Beijing for an official visit. He became the first high-ranking American diplomat to visit China since 2018. He will hold talks with Chinese leaders on the situation in Ukraine.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks in Beijing on June 18. They discussed relations between the two countries and the war in Ukraine.