China's Wang calls for 'stable' US ties on visit to weigh Xi summit

China's top diplomat has voiced hope for more stable relations with the United States after months of turbulence as he paid a rare trip to Washington to prepare a potential visit by President Xi Jinping.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday began by meeting Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who told his guest that he looked forward to "constructive conversations" that will include a dinner and more formal talks.

Wang told Blinken, who paid a visit to Beijing in June, that China wanted to "reduce misunderstanding."

"We seek to expand cooperation that will benefit both sides so that we can stabilise US-China relations and return them to the track of healthy, stable and sustainable development," Wang said.

Blinken responded, "I agree with what the foreign minister said."

APEC summit

President Joe Biden has invited Xi to San Francisco to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation [APEC] summit, but he has also stood firm on China in the run-up, keeping up a stream of targeted sanctions and staunchly backing US allies in disputes with Beijing.

On Friday, Wang will speak at the White House with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. No meeting has been announced with Biden, but an encounter is widely expected after Xi received Blinken in Beijing.

The two sides go into APEC from different economic perspectives, with economic policy analysts saying the US has weathered challenging global conditions after the Covid-19 pandemic somewhat better than China.

US and Chinese officials held a virtual meeting on Monday on macroeconomic developments.

US officials said Taiwan and the South and East China Seas, where they accused Beijing of "destabilising and dangerous actions" against rival territorial claimants, would also be on the agenda.

Re-establishing military-to-military ties with China remains a top priority to avoid unintended conflict, they said.