China warns U.S. of ‘downward spiral’ as Blinken meets with Xi Jinping

HONG KONG — Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday as he wrapped up a three-day visit to China dominated by contentious issues and warnings from his hosts of another “downward spiral” in relations.The two men met Friday afternoon local time at the Great Hall of the People, an ornate and cavernous building next to Tiananmen Square.Blinken told Xi that President Joe Biden had sent him to China to “seek to deepen areas of cooperation as well as to manage responsibly the differences that we have.”Xi noted that this year is the…