VP Biden in China amid spat over air defense zone

BEIJING — US Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Beijing for meetings with top Chinese leaders amid an international spat over China's new air defense zone.

Biden flew to China on Wednesday from Tokyo, where he met with Japanese leaders on the first leg of a weeklong tour of Asia.

In China, Biden plans to meet with President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng), Premier Li Keqiang (lee kuh-TYAHNG') and Vice President Li Yuanchao. The visit aims to build on Xi's discussions with President Barack Obama earlier this year in California.

But escalating tensions over a long-running territorial dispute will likely overshadow much of the visit. Biden on Tuesday said he was deeply concerned by China's action and blamed it for raising tensions and increasing the risk of an accident in the region.