US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will host his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi later this week in Washington, senior US officials said on Monday, in what could foreshadow a visit by President Xi Jinping to the US later this week. year, writes AFP.

Wang Yi’s visit to Washington, scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, follows numerous contacts in recent months between the Americans and the Chinese, who are trying to “responsibly manage” tensions between the two superpowers.

Sino-Russian rapprochement, the war in Ukraine and, above all, the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas will dominate the debate at a time when the international community is concerned about the escalation of the conflict.

In this regard, China criticized the US decision to block last week’s UN resolution calling for a “humanitarian pause” between Hamas and Israel.

For Washington, the meeting with Wang Yi will be an opportunity to encourage Beijing to take a “more constructive approach” in and beyond the two conflicts, a senior US official said on condition of anonymity.

There are many nervous moments in bilateral relations. From Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory, to China’s activities in the South China Sea, as evidenced by the latest collision between Chinese and Philippine ships, which Washington strongly disputed.

China has also drawn closer to Vladimir Putin’s Russia and is seeking to expand its influence around the world, including in the Middle East.

It is about “continuing our efforts to keep channels of communication open” with Beijing and “responsibly managing our competition,” another senior US official told reporters announcing the visit.

No details on his exact schedule or whether Wang Yi will host US President Joe Biden have been released.

During his visit to Beijing in June, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was received by the President of China, writes AFP.