US, China fail to overcome most serious issues as Blinken finishes day of talks in Beijing

The United States and China were unable to reach a consensus on their most severe disagreements but had a potentially constructive conversation and agreed to continue discussions as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his first day of talks in Beijing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang agreed to visit Washington, D.C. during the nearly 6-hour meeting with Blinken, but China's Foreign Ministry still said U.S.-China relations are "at the lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic relations."

The ministry also said the two sides had a "candid, in-depth and constructive communication on the overall relationship between China and the United States and related important issues."

However, The Associated Press reported that neither side indicated that they would back down from their positions. 

Blinken is the highest-level American official to travel to China under the Biden administration. Blinken had postponed his trip to Beijing earlier this year after the U.S. shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon that had crossed much of the continental United States.

The secretary of state is expected on Monday to meet with more senior Chinese officials, including possibly Chinese President Xi Jinping. The talks may pave the way for Biden to meet with Xi in the coming months.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.