Blinken will be the latest top US official to visit China in a bid to keep ties on an even keel

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China this coming week as Washington and Beijing try to keep ties on an even keel despite major differences on a range of issue, from the Middle East to opioids. The U.S. and China are at odds over Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as North Korea and Hong Kong, along with Taiwan and the South China Sea. Blinken’s trip follows a phone call this month between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in which they pledged to keep high-level contacts open. Since then, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has visited China and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken by phone with his Chinese counterpart.