US and China take steps towards thaw as Blinken prepares to visit Beijing, but mistrust remains

Effort is being stepped up to rebuild relations after the spy ballon incident led to Blinken’s original visit being cancelled

In the clearest sign yet that president Joe Biden’s predicted “thaw” in US-China relations may actually come to pass, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, is expected to visit Beijing on 18 June.

But after several months in which tensions between the two countries have only increased, both sides will need to overcome a mutual mistrust that has been allowed to build following a number of recent incidents.

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