China's new ambassador to the US faces daunting task of improving relations.

China's new ambassador to the US, Xie Feng, has arrived in New York with a mission to "enhance China-US exchanges and cooperation" and "safeguard the interests of China." The bilateral relationship between the two countries has faced "serious difficulties and challenges," according to Xie. Tensions between the two countries escalated in February after the US shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon over American airspace. US President Joe Biden said over the weekend that those tensions would "begin to thaw very shortly."