MUNICH (AP) — Top diplomats from the U.S. and China on Friday held a “candid and constructive” discussion on issues vexing their strained relations over Taiwan, the situation in the South China Sea, Russia’s war against Ukraine and synthetic opioids, the State Department said. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken had emphasized the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait as well as expanding on nascent counternarcotics efforts. Blinken also raised concerns about China's support for Russia’s defense industrial base that Washington sees as helping Moscow’s military operations against Ukraine. “The two sides had a candid and constructive discussion on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage competition in the relationship,” Miller said. Photos You Should See View All 33 Images“Both sides recognized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and (China) across a range of strategic issues, including consultations and high-level meetings in key areas in the coming months,” he said.

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Persons: Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Joe Biden, Matthew Miller, Blinken, ” Miller, Blinken “, ” Organizations: —, State Department, Foreign, Munich, California . State Department, Washington, Ukraine, North Locations: MUNICH, U.S, China, Taiwan, South China, Ukraine, California ., Taiwan Strait, United States, North Korea