“Intense competition requires sustained diplomacy to ensure that this does not lead to confrontation or conflict,” Mr. Blinken said. “That is what the world expects of both the United States and China.”

Mr. Blinken will travel to Beijing this Sunday, the first visit to Beijing by a US Secretary of State in the past five years.

The first goal of his trip to China is to "establish open communication so that the two countries can jointly manage the bilateral relationship responsibly," he said.

The aim is also to establish US interests and values, and explore possible areas of cooperation, including global economic stability, countering drug trafficking, climate and health issues, he said.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the United States needs to work with China to improve relations, Xinhua reported.

"The US regards China as its 'biggest geopolitical challenge'. This is a wrong strategic assessment," Mr. Uong said at a press conference.

Trung Kien (according to Reuters, Xinhua, CNA)