BEIJING (Reuters) -China blamed the United States on Monday for a “stalemate” in two-way ties, accusing it of creating an “imaginary enemy”, and setting a confrontational tone during a meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. On Saturday, Wang had warned that China would not accept the United States taking a “superior” position in the relationship, a day after China announced sanctions on former U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and others. Last Wednesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Sherman would be travelling to China “from a position of strength”. At the Alaska meeting, Chinese officials, including Wang, railed against the state of U.S. democracy, while U.S. officials accused the Chinese side of grandstanding. Monday’s talks were held amid stringent Chinese COVID-19 measures, which have meant that visiting foreign officials have met Chinese counterparts outside Beijing, the capital.

Source: MetroXpress July 26, 2021 03:33 UTC