BEIJING: China would welcome any visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the country, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.

“China welcomes Secretary of State Blinken’s visit to China. Both China and the United States are in communication now over the specific arrangements,” Wang Wenbin said, responding to a question on a U.S. media report that Blinken is visiting China on Feb. 5.

Blinken, China’s Qin discussed U.S.-China relationship in phone call