President Joe Biden spoke with Xi Jinping, in a call on Tuesday morning that was aimed at addressing a wide range of combative and cooperative issues, as the US grapples with wars and other global crises, the White House said.

The topics on Biden’s agenda included fighting narcotics production, the West Asian conflict and China’s support of Russia during the Ukraine war, a senior administration official said.

Biden intended the talk to be a “check-in” rather than a summit with concrete outcomes, said the official, who spoke to a small group of reporters Monday night on the condition of anonymity, as is customary for such Washington briefings. But it was a crucial marker during a pivotal political year and as the countries try to steady a relationship that hit a multi-decade low last year.

The call took place days before a trip to China by treasury secretary Janet Yellen, who will be followed soon afterwards by secretary of state Antony Blinken, the official said. Those would be the first visits to China by cabinet members this year.

New York Times News Service