US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang have confirmed they will maintain dialogue amid souring bilateral relations.

The two met in Beijing on Sunday. Blinken is the first member of President Joe Biden's Cabinet to visit China.

The US State Department says they had candid and constructive talks during their seven-and-a-half-hour meeting that included a dinner.

The two agreed to continue the discussions. Qin accepted an invitation from Blinken to travel to Washington at a mutually suitable time.

But a senior State Department official told reporters there were big differences between the two sides, without giving details.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry says Qin pointed out that the Taiwan issue is the center of China's core interests and the most prominent risk in China-US relations.

The US State Department official has said Blinken is scheduled to meet China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Monday. Attention is focused on whether he will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.