CIA Director William Burns Visits Beijing in Effort to Improve Strained U.S.-China Relations

Last month, CIA Director William Burns made a secret trip to Beijing, becoming the most senior U.S. official to visit China since relations were strained by the military shootdown of a Chinese surveillance balloon in February.

According to a U.S. official familiar with the visit, Burns met with Chinese intelligence counterparts to emphasize the importance of maintaining open lines of communication and intelligence channels. The visit was first reported by the Financial Times.

The trip adds to a growing list of carefully orchestrated interactions the Biden administration has arranged since the balloon incident scuttled a previously scheduled trip by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Last month, CIA Director Burns became the first U.S. official to visit China since the incident.

The Biden administration has attempted to restart high-level talks between the U.S. and China in recent weeks. The U.S. official confirmed to CBS News on Friday that Burns’ visit was part of this effort.

The visit is seen as a sign of progress in the strained relations between the two countries. It is hoped that the open lines of communication and intelligence channels established during Burns’ visit will help to improve relations between the two countries.