Xi Jinping meets Henry Kissinger in Beijing, strengthening the ties between China and the US

Veteran U.S. diplomat Henry Kissinger made a surprise visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as reported by state media.

The meeting took place at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where Kissinger was hosted by the Chinese premier, according to an online post by CCTV.

Details of the talks have not been disclosed, but a report translated by Google praised Kissinger’s role as a “legendary diplomat” in the previous negotiations between the U.S. and China.

Quoting Google Translate, Xi was quoted by Xinhua, the official state news agency, saying, “Chinese people value friendship, and we will never forget our old friend and your historic contribution to promoting the development of Sino-US relations and enhancing the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.”

CNBC has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment, but there has been no immediate response. However, Reuters reported that the White House stated Kissinger’s visit was not on behalf of the U.S. government.

This meeting between Kissinger and Xi follows a previous meeting between Kissinger and China’s defense minister, Li Shangfu, earlier in the week.

These talks come at a time when there is an ongoing effort to improve diplomatic relations between the United States and China. There have been growing tensions between the two countries due to trade disputes in the tech sector, increased tensions over the Taiwan Strait, and concerns over security, such as the interception of a suspected Chinese spy balloon by the U.S.

China continues to hold Kissinger in high regard for his significant role in initiating the normalization of U.S.-Sino relations in 1971, which eventually led to discussions between President Richard Nixon and Chairman Mao Zedong.

In a video accompanying CCTV’s post, footage of Kissinger and Xi sitting together in one of the state guesthouse’s palatial rooms is shown. This location is considered more intimate compared to the Great Hall of the People, where official diplomatic meetings usually take place.

The video also features footage of recent visits to China by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and U.S. climate envoy John Kerry.

It’s worth noting that apart from Kissinger, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was the only other U.S. official to have recently met with President Xi. Their last-minute meeting was described as both robust and conciliatory.

During his four-day visit to Beijing, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry hinted at a potential meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi later this year. This meeting could take place at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit in San Francisco in November, where both leaders are scheduled to attend. The last time they met was in November at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

Correction: In 1971, Kissinger initiated the normalization of U.S.-Sino relations. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the year.