US Vice-President Joe Biden has arrived in Beijing on the latest leg of a tour of Asia dominated by rising tensions between China, America and its regional allies.
Mr Biden said on Wednesday he would use talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping to raise concerns about its declaration of an air defence zone over disputed islands in the East China sea.
In November, China announced a new Air Defence Identification Zone and said aircraft flying through the zone must follow its rules, including filing flight plans. The zone includes islands claimed and controlled by Japan, and a submerged rock claimed by South Korea.
Mr Biden's diplomatic skills will be tested in Beijing as he attempts to quel tensions over the zone. So far, he appears to be giving China room to explain its intentions behing Beijing's sudden announcement of the new zone, the BBC reports.
When meeting with Washington's allies in Tokyo, Mr Biden stopped short of calling on China to reverse its declaration. Instead, he said he was deeply concerned about China's actions.
In Beijing, Mr Biden will spend time with Mr Xi - the two are said to enjoy a relatively close relationship.
On 29 November, China scrambled fighter jets to monitor US and Japanese planes flying in the disputed zone.
Tokyo has told its national carriers not to file flight plans with the Chinese side when transiting the zone, but on Friday the US said it expected its carriers to "operate consistent with Notams [Notices to Airmen] issued by foreign countries".
