BEIJING (REUTERS) – U.S. officials spoke for too long in opening remarks at talks in Alaska with a Chinese delegation, were “inhospitable” and violated diplomatic protocol, state media said on Friday.
Delegation officials told broadcaster CCTV that the Chinese “came with sincerity” to the talks, held in the city of Anchorage, having made preparations in line with prior arrangements.
“But the U.S. side, which started speaking first, severely exceeded the time allocated for their opening remarks, made unreasonable attacks and accusations of Chinese domestic and foreign policies, and provoked quarrels,” one official said.
“This is not the way to treat your guests and violates diplomatic protocols.”
China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi are in Alaska to meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in the first high-level, in-person talks of the Biden administration.
(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
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