Blinken, China's Wang discuss Russia, US sanctions

(ANSA-AFP) - MUNICH, FEB 17 - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns over Beijing's backing for Russia's war against Ukraine on Friday in talks with China's top diplomat Wang Yi, who called for Washington to lift sanctions on Chinese entities. Blinken and Wang's meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference follows an extremely fraught period between the two giants over issues including Taiwan, trade and human rights. Washington and Beijing have also been at odds over China's detente with Russia as Moscow wages war in Ukraine. But tensions have eased markedly over the past year as Washington pursued dialogue with Beijing. Blinken underlined the "importance of continuing to implement the progress made" at a November summit between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. He also raised the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea, the spokesman added. (ANSA-AFP).