Blinken to discuss Russia’s war on Ukraine with Chinese officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine with Chinese officials during a Feb. 5-6 trip to China, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday.

Kirby told reporters that talks on a number of issues, such as the two countries’ militaries and climate change, were sidelined when China protested a visit to Taiwan last August by then-U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Blinken will seek to get talks on these issues “restored and/or revitalized,” Kirby said.

“I know he’s looking forward to being able to addressing all of those issues and of course the war in Ukraine will be among those issues that we can expect the secretary to bring up while he’s there,” Kirby said.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chris Reese and Grant McCool)