WASHINGTON CIA director William Burns visited China last month for talks with Chinese counterparts, a US official said on Friday as the Biden administration seeks to boost communications with Beijing.

"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 official told Reuters.

The visit by the head of the US intelligence agency, first reported by the Financial Times, comes as President Joe Biden's administration has been pressing to maintain open lines and schedule meetings between various top officials in Washington and Beijing amid tense relations.

Ties between the world's two largest economies have been strained over issues ranging from Taiwan and China's human rights record to military activity in the South China Sea.

  - Reuters