Blinken spars with China on Russia support, industrial overcapacity

Secretary of state meets President Xi after over 5 hours with top diplomat Wang Yi

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 26. © Reuters

GRACE LI and JAMES HAND-CUKIERMAN, Nikkei staff writers

April 26, 2024 11:15 JST

Updated on April 26, 2024 20:50 JST

HONG KONG/TOKYO -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said he pressed China over its support for Russia's military-industrial base, as he held "candid" talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. The Chinese side, for its part, complained that the U.S. was "hyping up" concerns about its industrial capacity and "constantly" challenging its core interests.