China says relations with the United States are at a stalemate as talks begin between the two nations' diplomats. Brian Dorman tells us more. 

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng didn't mince words in his remarks during a meeting on Monday with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Tianjin.

Washington said the goal of the talks is to keep high-level communication channels open to avoid potential conflict. But Beijing laid the blame for faltering bilateral ties on Washington saying some Americans treat China as an "imagined enemy", and urged Washington to stop casting blame on Beijing for the US's failures.

XIE FENG Chinese Vice Foreign Minister "The fundamental reason for the current relations between China and US being at a 'stalemate' is that some in the US regard China as an imagined enemy and attempt to deflate the US domestic political and economic dissatisfaction by demonizing China. They will not succeed in such goals by blaming China for the US's deep structural problems. The world today calls for solidarity and cooperation. The US should choose to show mutual respect with China, with fair competition and peaceful diplomacy."

China also reiterated that the US is in no position to lecture China on democracy and human rights and urged the US to address its own human rights issues first.

China presented the US with two lists: the first, a list of US actions it must stop, such as visa restrictions on Chinese officials and students, and crackdowns on Chinese companies. The other was a list of individual cases that concerned China, such as anti-Asian sentiment and violence against Chinese nationals in the US.

China also expressed disagreement with the US on its stance concerning the origins of coronavirus and China's internal affairs such as Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong.

Sherman is the highest ranking American official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office. She also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.