CIA Director William Burns secretly traveled to Beijing in May to engage in discussions with Chinese counterparts and keep the lines of communication open, according to a U.S. official.
This classified visit represents the highest-ranking delegation from the Biden administration since the incident involving a suspected Chinese spy balloon being shot down by American forces.
Burns’s visit in May, which was first reported by The Financial Times, comes at a crucial time when Washington is working towards easing tensions with Beijing and addressing recent conflicts between the largest global economies and geopolitical rivals.
“Last month, Director Burns traveled to Beijing where he met with Chinese counterparts and emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels,” said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity about the trip.
Burns exclusively held meetings with intelligence officials and did not engage with any political or foreign policy leaders in Beijing, according to a second person familiar with the visit who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
The CIA, which typically refrains from publicizing such visits, declined to comment on the reports regarding Director Burns’s trip to China. The White House also declined to comment.
The United States is still rescheduling Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to China, which was initially canceled due to the presence of a Chinese balloon in American airspace.
U.S. State Department official to visit China next week
In an effort to enhance communication during a period of strained relations, a high-ranking U.S. State Department official is scheduled to visit China next week, the department said on Saturday.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, accompanied by White House National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran, will engage in discussions regarding “key issues in the bilateral relationship,” according to a statement from the State Department. The officials will travel to China and New Zealand from June 4 – 10.
