US and Chinese diplomats clashed in their first face-to-face talks since President Joe Biden took office, with both countries digging in on a list of issues on which they diverge broadly as the meeting opened in Alaska.
China's actions "threaten the rules-based order that maintains global stability," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the opening of the two-day meeting in Anchorage.
The US side will "discuss our deep concerns with actions by China, including Xinjiang," where Washington has accused Beijing of "genocide" against Uyghur Muslims, Mr Blinken told the Chinese Communist Party's top diplomacy official, Yang Jiechi, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
He added that there would be dialogue on "Hong Kong, Taiwan, cyber attacks on the United States, economic coercion toward our allies."
Beijing was equally sharp in its response.
"China is firmly opposed to US interference in China's internal affairs. We have expressed our staunch opposition to such interference, and we will take firm actions in response," Mr Yang warned.
Read: US, China set to broach icy relations in Alaska talks
Mr Wang denounced the latest US sanctions against senior Chinese officials over what Washington considers Beijing's quashing of Hong Kong's freedoms, announced on the eve of the talks.
"This is not supposed to be the way one should welcome his guests," Mr Wang said.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing remain high after relations were pitched into turmoil during Donald Trump's presidency, which saw a damaging trade war and spats over everything from defence to tech and rights in Hong Kong.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan (R) speaks as US Secretary of State A ..
Support the originator by clicking the read the rest link below.
