US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to China in the coming weeks, two US officials and a source familiar with the matter told CNN, as the two countries work to reset normal relations amid what has been an extremely tumultuous and tense year in the relationship.
Planning efforts are underway for the top US diplomat to visit Beijing, the sources said. Blinken's trip was originally scheduled for February but was postponed after the transiting of a Chinese spy balloon over the US provoked outrage from the Biden administration.
State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said Tuesday, "We have no travel for the Secretary to announce; as we've said previously the visit to the People's Republic of China will be rescheduled when conditions allow."
Bloomberg first reported that the trip was expected to take place in the coming weeks.
The news of the rescheduled trip comes after American and Chinese officials had "candid" and "productive" discussions in Beijing on Monday, according to readouts from both nations.
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and NSC Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran traveled to the Chinese capital as the Biden administration works to navigate its complicated relationship with Beijing.
In February, at the time his original trip was postponed, Blinken said the balloon incident "created the conditions that undermine the purpose of the trip" but said he would visit Beijing "when conditions allow."
This story is breaking and will be updated.
