What are U.S. and China trying to agree on?

Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday expressed hope that his visit will positively contribute to the stabilization of relations between the two countries.

"President Xi said state-to-state interactions should always be based on mutual respect and sincerity. Hope this visit by Secretary Blinken could make positive contributions to stabilizing relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

The Chinese leader praised the progress made during the U.S. Secretary of State's two-day visit, as the parties reached agreements on some issues.

Blinken's visit is the highest-level trip by a U.S. official to China in 5 years with ties severely strained between the world's two largest economies. Blinken's meeting with Xi came after he held more than 10 hours of talks over two days with other top officials.

But while the Xi meeting raised expectations that the relationship could be salvaged after plummeting to its lowest point in years, Blinken’s vsit also highlighted that the two superpowers still remain far apart on most crucial issues.