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China and the US concluded two days of annual high-level talks in Beijing yesterday by reaching a series of investment and trade agreements which Premier Wen Jiabao described as “major breakthroughs”.

But this year’s strategic and economic dialogue was overshadowed by more than a week of drama surrounding blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng . As the two countries wrapped up the talks, they also defused a potential diplomatic crisis, with Beijing indicating that Chen could apply to study abroad.

A US official said last night that Beijing would “expeditiously” provide a travel document to Chen.

“The Chinese government has indicated that it will accept Mr Chen’s applications for appropriate travel documents,” US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, adding that Chen had been offered a fellowship by a US university, and could be accompanied by his wife and two children.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said yesterday that Chen might…