U.S. Talks Tough As China Slams Washington For Creating 'Imaginary Enemy'

A top Chinese diplomat took a confrontational tone in rare high-level talks with the United States, accusing it of creating an "imaginary enemy" to divert attention from domestic problems and suppress China, Yew Lun Tian, Cate Cadell and Tony Munroe reported for Reuters.

Amid worsening relations between the world's two largest economies, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the second-ranked US diplomat, arrived on Sunday for the face-to-face meetings in the northern city of Tianjin.

"The US wants to reignite the sense of national purpose by establishing China as an 'imaginary enemy,'" state television quoted Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng as saying in a report on Monday morning's session, even as talks were underway. The US had mobilized its government and society to suppress China, he added.

"As if once China's development is suppressed, US domestic and external problems will be resolved, and America will be great again, and America's hegemony can be continued."

Sherman met State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday. Her China visit was added late to an Asian itinerary that included stops in Japan, South Korea and Mongolia amid wrangling over protocol between Beijing and Washington.

On Saturday, Wang had warned that China would not accept the United States taking a "superior" position in the relationship, a day after China unveiled sanctions on former US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and others.

Sherman's position during the talks was that the US welcomed competition with Beijing but insists on a level playing field and "guardrails" to avoid conflicts.

The US government and lawmakers have been critical of China's policy in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, with the US Senate having passed a bill this month to ban imports from the far western region, citing forced labor concerns.

Last Wednesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Sherman would be traveling to China "from a position of strength." On Monday, Xie told Chinese media that he presented a list of requests for the US to "correct" its past actions on China, such as sanctions on officials.

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