Blinken also discussed his recent travel in the Middle East and the US diplomatic efforts in the region with Wang, according to an earlier statement from the US state department.

In the call, the two top diplomats exchanged views on the Israel-Hamas conflict and agreed to maintain communication on the situation in the Middle East, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

Wang said during the conversation that the top priority at the moment is to cease fire “as soon as possible.”

Blinken also thanked Wang for going to the US embassy in China to express his condolences to former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, said the Chinese foreign ministry.

Kissinger, the most powerful US diplomat of the Cold War era, who helped Washington open up to China, died last week.

“Dr Kissinger has always advocated that China and the United States should respect each other, evolve together, and fulfil their international responsibilities,” Wang was quoted as saying in the phone call.

Wang also repeatedly stressed that the US should fully understand the importance of the Taiwan issue to China, and that Kissinger’s diplomatic legacy is worthy of being carried forward and developed by future generations.

Wang and Blinken also emphasised the importance of building upon progress made on key issues in the summit between the countries’ respective presidents in California in November, according to statements from their respective departments.