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US Secretary of State Antony Blink is in Beijing. His is the highest diplomatic visit from the United States in the last five years to China. The goal is to relieve bilateral tensions. There are many elements of friction between the two countries, but Blinken’s presence could initiate a sort of diplomatic thaw and keep a dialogue open that “generates responsible management of Sino-American relations”, according to the State Department.
Blinken’s visit was postponed to last February after the incident of the Chinese spy balloons shot down. The secretary of state will have meetings with senior Chinese officials in two days.