Bessent will travel to Spain and the United Kingdom from Friday to September 18, with the Madrid portion of his visit including discussions with Chinese representatives on "key national security, economic, and trade issues of mutual interest," the department said in a statement.

That would include "TikTok and cooperating on money laundering networks that threaten both the United States and China," it said.

Tensions between the world's two biggest economies simmered this year but have improved since April, when both countries slapped escalating tariffs on each other's exports.

Bessent's planned talks come after top diplomats and defense chiefs from both nations held back-to-back discussions Wednesday, which analysts said could mark a step toward a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Trump said in August that he expects to visit China this year or shortly afterwards, noting that economic ties between the two countries have improved.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in a telephone call on Wednesday that he wanted constructive and open dialogue with China.

In a separate video call the same day, China's defence minister Dong Jun warned Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth that "containing, deterring, or interfering with China will be futile," state broadcaster CCTV reported.

"We must... build an equal, respectful, peacefully coexistent, stable and positive military-to-military relationship. We must respect each other's core interests," he told Hegseth.

Following the Spain visit, Bessent will travel to London for meetings with British government and private sector officials before joining Trump's official state visit with King Charles at Windsor Castle.