As global conflicts rise, US-China tensions ease

Xi Jinping's govt has engaged with a flurry of US leaders since June

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With the Israel-Hamas war further dividing a world shaken by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and elevated inflation, US-China ties are suddenly providing cause for some optimism.

President Xi Jinping's government has engaged with a flurry of US leaders since June, with the Chinese president telling a visiting senator this month there were "a thousand reasons to make US-China relations better, and no reason to make them worse"-some of his most dovish recent comments on the relationship.

The arrival of China's foreign minister Wang Yi in Washington on Thursday will continue that trajectory. The top diplomat will meet with president Joe Biden during his trip, as he smooths the path for an anticipated leaders' meeting with Xi next month in California.