US vice-president Joe Biden called on Chinese leaders to take steps to lower tensions in east Asia and criticised China’s treatment of American journalists in a speech to members of the US business community in Beijing.

After more than four hours of meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, Mr Biden said he had been “very direct about our firm position” on China’s declaration of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea that has prompted denunciations from several of its neighbours.

“China’s recent and sudden announcement of the establishment of a new air defence identification zone has, to state the obvious, caused significant apprehension in the region,” Mr Biden told about 90 business people and journalists yesterday in Beijing. China needs to “take steps to reduce the risk of accidental conflict and miscalculation” and “refrain from taking steps that will increase tension”, he added.