US secretary of state Antony Blinken met Qin Gang on Sunday, where he "emphasised the importance of diplomacy and maintaining open channels of communication", said a state department spokesperson.

With relations between the countries having become increasingly frosty in recent years, the statement added regular discussions would "reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation".

Mr Blinken invited Mr Qin to Washington to continue the talks at a later date.

It is also hoped his visit will pave the way for more bilateral meetings in the coming months, including possible trips by treasury secretary Janet Yellen and commerce secretary Gina Raimondo.

It could also set the stage for meetings between presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden at multilateral summits.

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Sunday was the first time Mr Blinken had visited Beijing since Mr Biden took office in January 2021.

The visit had been postponed from earlier in the year following the spy balloon saga, when a suspected Chinese surveillance device flew over US airspace for several days before being shot down.

The last secretary of state to visit China was Mike Pompeo in October 2018.

Tensions between the US and China have sparked fears they could eventually be drawn into conflict over Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own territory.

They are also at odds over issues ranging from trade, US efforts to hold back China's semiconductor industry, and the ruling Communist Party's human rights track record.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday before departing the US, Mr Blinken said the trip had three main objectives: setting up mechanisms for crisis management, advancing US and allies' interests and speaking directly about related concerns, and exploring areas of potential cooperation.

"If we want to make sure, as we do, that the competition that we have with China doesn't veer into conflict, the place you start is with communicating," Mr Blinken said.

He said he would also be raising the issue of US citizens detained in China on charges Washington sees as politically motivated.

However, US officials have already played down hopes of much progress being made in thawing relations between the two countries as a result of Mr Blinken's trip.