A senior White House official says United States President Joe Biden is willing to have a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on Monday that Biden expects the opportunity to arise after the Chinese government returns to work from the annual National People's Congress, which ended the same day.

Xi's third term as president started with the parliament appointing those close to him to key leadership posts.

Sullivan said, however, that a date for any talks has yet to be decided.

On the same day, Biden was asked by reporters if he was planning on meeting Xi, to which he replied, "yes." Biden added that any conversation would not happen soon. He was meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the time.

Relations between the US and China have further worsened since the US shot down a Chinese balloon over the US mainland last month.

Sullivan said the bilateral relationship is "competition, and we welcome competition, but there is no need for conflict." He added that there is also no need for confrontation and a new Cold War.