Mr Blinken is the highest-ranking US government official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
He is set to discuss a number of major issues with his Beijing counterparts including trade with Taiwan, Chinese surveillance and the Ukraine war.
The US government official arrived in Beijing on Sunday morning for the two-day visit.
Mr Blinken has been pictured meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for an extended discussion. He will also hold talks China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and possibly President Xi Jinping on Monday.
Mr Biden and Xi agreed to Mr Blinken‘s trip early at a meeting last year in Bali.
Mr Blinken is expected to urge the Chinese to release detained American citizens and to take steps to curb the production and export of fentanyl precursors that are fueling the opioid crisis in the United States.
Shortly before departing the US, Mr Blinken emphasised the importance of the US and China maintaining better lines of communication.
The US wants to make sure “that the competition we have with China doesn’t veer into conflict” due to avoidable misunderstandings, he told reporters.
