U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing on a high-stakes diplomatic mission to cool U.S.-China tensions that have overshadowed geopolitics in recent months, writes CNBC.

The trip by Blinken makes him the highest-level American official to visit China since Joe Biden became U.S. president and the first U.S. secretary of state to make the trip in nearly five years.

Blinken had “candid, substantive, and constructive talks” with Qin, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a statement Sunday. He raised concerns as well as “opportunities to explore cooperation”, and he emphasized the importance of open communication, according to the statement.

“The Secretary made clear that the United States will always stand up for the interests and values of the American people and work with its allies and partners to advance our vision for a world that is free, open, and upholds the international rules-based order”, - said the spokesperson.

Blinken invited Qin to the U.S. to continue discussions, and the spokesperson said the pair agreed to schedule a visit at a “mutually suitable time.” Blinken will continue to meet with Chinese officials in Beijing Monday.