Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Axios
Axios
World

CIA director made unannounced trip to Beijing last month

CIA director Bill Burns made an unannounced trip to China last month, a U.S. official confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: The trip to Beijing, which was first reported by the FT, was part of the administration's efforts to stabilize relations after February's spy balloon incident.


  • "Last month, Director Burns traveled to Beijing where he met with Chinese counterparts and emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels," the U.S. official said.
  • National security adviser Jake Sullivan undertook a similar mission last month when he traveled to Vienna to meet Beijing's top diplomat, Wang Yi, though the White House announced that meeting at the time.

State of play: While both sides have expressed a desire to keep relations from deteriorating further, Beijing blames Washington for their current state and has declined multiple requests for high-level meetings.

  • Secretary of State Tony Blinken's planned trip to Beijing has still not been rescheduled, and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu declined to meet his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin in Singapore — though the fact that Li is under U.S. sanctions might have been a factor.
  • Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo did meet her counterpart Wang Wentao last week, marking the first visit by a top Chinese official to Washington since 2020.

The big picture: Burns, who had a distinguished career in the State Department before being tapped to lead the CIA, has been repeatedly dispatched by President Biden on delicate diplomatic missions.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.