Blinken Has ‘Candid’ Talks With China’s Qin on Trip to Mend Ties
- Top US diplomat meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang
- Saga over alleged spy balloon derailed earlier trip by Blinken
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken had “candid” talks with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing, the two countries said, as both looked to project a positive but cautious tone about a visit that’s meant to bring some semblance of normalcy back to a strained relationship.
Discussions between the delegations led by Blinken and Foreign Minister Qin Gang lasted 7 1/2 hours — much longer than planned, officials said. In a further signal that the two saw the meeting as a path to closer ties, Qin accepted Blinken’s invitation to visit Washington at “a mutually suitable time,” the State Department said.