Until the last moment, Xi Jinping kept his cards close to his chest: Would he meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken or not? On Monday afternoon, China’s President and Party Leader finally met with Blinken just before his departure. In the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing, both sides made efforts to stabilize the bilateral relations between China and the United States. No major breakthroughs were achieved, but no one expected them either.