Blinken heads to China this weekend on mission to salvage sinking ties and keep communications open

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China this weekend as part of the Biden administration’s push to repair deteriorating ties between Washington and Beijing and keep lines of communication open. Wednesday’s State Department announcement followed a phone call Tuesday between Blinken and China’s foreign minister. Blinken will be the most senior U.S. official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office. The trip initially was planned for earlier this year but was postponed after the shootdown of what the U.S. said was a Chinese spy balloon over the United States. Since then, there have been lower-level engagements between the U.S. and China despite ongoing hostility and recriminations over both sides’ actions.