Blinken begins key China visit as tensions rise over new US foreign aid bill. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has started a crucial visit to China, soon after the U.S. Senate approved a foreign aid bill likely to strain U.S.-China relations further. This bill allocates substantial funds to Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel, and mandates the sale of TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. These moves have exacerbated tensions, particularly concerning Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province. This trip follows high-level engagements including a conversation between Presidents Biden and Xi and visits by other U.S. officials.