The head of the UN has urged the Security Council to act to stop the bloodshed in Syria.

If comes after Ban Ki-Moon held talks with Chinese leaders in Beijing hours ahead of a vote on fresh sanctions.

The Security Council will vote later on a Western resolution that calls for sanctions against Syria.

China has twice sided with Syria’s main ally Russia in blocking resolutions critical of President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.

Diplomats say Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with his Chinese counterpart over the weekend and the two sides agreed to continue their policy of blocking sanctions.