US CIA chief Burns visited China in May

CIA Director William Burns testifies before a House Intelligence Committee hearing on "worldwide threats to U.S. security", on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo

CIA director William Burns visited China last month for talks with Chinese counterparts, two U.S. officials said on Friday as Washington 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," one of the officials told Reuters.