National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice is meeting with senior Chinese leaders in Beijing. The North Korean nuclear standoff and tensions between China and Taiwan are expected to dominate the agenda.
America's top security advisor is meeting with President Hu Jintao, military chief and former Communist Party boss, Jiang Zemin, and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing in two days of talks.
Ms. Rice is expected to push Beijing for more action to resolve the crisis over North Korea's nuclear-weapons program.
China has hosted several rounds of six nation talks with the United States, North and South Korea, Japan, and Russia. But little progress has been made.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue says Ms. Rice will need to address U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which China considers its territory.
She says Taiwan remains the most sensitive issue in the bilateral relationship.
Ms. Rice visited Japan Wednesday, praising Tokyo as an anchor in U.S. foreign policy in and out of Asia. She ends her Asian tour in South Korea on Friday.