Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has met with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing. The talks are aimed at mending strained bilateral relations, as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

After the meeting, Wong said the two sides agreed to continue high-level dialogue on various issues, including Chinese trade sanctions on Australian imports.

Wong said, "What I think is in the best interest of both countries and consumers in both countries, in terms of Australian exporters and Chinese consumers, is for the trade blockages to be removed."

Diplomatic relations soured after China imposed import restrictions on Australian commodities such as wine and barley.

That was seen as a response to calls from Canberra that angered Beijing, including demands for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus.

Wong also raised the issue of consular access to two Australian citizens being detained in China.

Journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun are awaiting sentencing after so-called national security trials held behind closed doors.

Wong said: "We advocate for a range of things in those discussions. They include for those Australians to be reunited with their families as soon as possible."

China's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying Wang believes the two countries have no fundamental conflicts of interest, and should use the anniversary of diplomatic ties to reorganize and restart bilateral relations.