While Susan Rice visits the Chinese capital, the country is dealing with fallout from a sharply sliding stock market and slowing economic growth that have rattled global markets.
A move to devalue the currency and make Chinese exports more competitive has brought criticism from some U.S. politicians, in a throwback to past years when Beijing was accused of manipulating its currency.
The economic setbacks are seen as weakening Xi's clout as he prepares to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House in late September and travels to New York to address the U.N. General Assembly.