"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken hosted PRC [People's Republic of China] Director of the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi for an official visit today in Washington ... The Secretary and Director and Foreign Minister Wang discussed a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including addressing areas of difference as well as exploring areas of cooperation," the statement read on Thursday.
The two senior officials will continue their talks on Friday, it added.
Blinken expressed his condolences on the passing of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who had held the office from March 2013 to March 2023. Li died from a heart attack at the age of 68 earlier on Friday.
"The Secretary expressed his condolences on the passing of former Premier Li Keqiang," the statement said.