Mark Schiefelbein/Reuters
China’s most senior diplomat is due to visit the U.S. on Monday and Tuesday, the first high-level visit since President Donald Trump took office, China’s state media reported Sunday. State Councilor Yang Jiechi, who holds a higher post than the Chinese foreign minister, is reportedly coming after having a telephone conversation last week with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The two agreed in that phone call that a constructive relationship between the U.S. and China was of primary importance, China’s Xinhua news agency reported. The visit comes after Trump got off to a rocky start with China, angering Beijing in December by taking part in a phone chat with Taiwan’s leader. Beijing scolded Trump after the incident and stressed the importance of Washington abiding by the “one China” policy, under which Taiwan is a part of China and not its own sovereign territory. Xinhua’s report on Jiechi’s visit also cited a researcher as saying a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would be at the top of the agenda.