Top US, Chinese Diplomats Clash Publicly At Alaska Summit

The United States, which quickly accused China "grandstanding" and violating the meeting's protocol, had been looking for a change in behavior from China

The United States and China leveled sharp rebukes of each others' policies in the first high-level, in-person talks of the Biden administration on Thursday, with deeply strained relations of the two global rivals on rare public display during the meeting's opening session in Alaska. The United States, which quickly accused China "grandstanding" and violating the meeting's protocol, had been looking for a change in behavior from China which had earlier this year expressed hope for a reset to sour relations. On the eve of the talks, Beijing had presaged what would be a contentious meeting, with its ambassador to Washington saying the United States was full of illusions if it thinks China will compromise. Sparring in a highly unusual extended back-and-forth in front of cameras, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan opened their meeting with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi in Anchorage, fresh off of Blinken's visits to allies Japan and South Korea.