US and China spar in first face-to-face meeting under Biden

The contentious tone of their public comments suggested the private discussions would be even more rocky

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second from right, joined by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, right, at the opening session of US-China talks in Anchorage, Alaska (Frederic J Brown/Pool via AP)

Top US and Chinese officials were set to meet again on Friday after offering sharply different views of each other and the world in their first face-to-face talks since US President Joe Biden took office.

After the opening on Thursday, the two sides traded barbs, with the US accusing the Chinese delegation of “grandstanding” for domestic consumption in China and Beijing firing back on Friday by saying there was a “strong smell of gunpowder and drama” in the room that was entirely the fault of the Americans.