US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shakes hands with China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, June 18, 2023. (REUTERS/Leah Millis/Pool)

Speaking after a 5-1/2 hour meeting followed by a dinner, US and Chinese officials both emphasized their desire for stable and predictable relations. 

Making the first visit to China by a US secretary of state in five years, Antony Blinken stressed “the need to reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation” in his talks with Foreign Minister Qin Gang, the State Department said. 

“Qin Gang pointed out that the Taiwan issue is the core of China’s core interests, the most important issue in Sino-US relations, and the most prominent risk,” Chinese state media quoted Qin as having told the top US diplomat. 

In similar language, both sides said the talks were useful, with a US spokesman describing them as “candid, substantive, and constructive” and Chinese state media characterizing them as “candid, in depth and constructive.” 

US officials and analysts expect Blinken’s visit to pave the way for more bilateral meetings between Washington and Beijing in coming months, including possible trips by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. It could also set the stage for meetings between Xi and Biden at multilateral summits later in the year.