Beijing accuses US of treating China as 'imaginary enemy' in meeting between top diplomats

The breakdown in US-China relations is due to some people in the United States treating China as an "imaginary enemy," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng was quoted as saying during a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Monday, according to a statement provided by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sherman arrived in the northern city of Tianjin Sunday for meetings with Xie and State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as part of what her office described as ongoing US efforts to hold candid exchanges with Chinese officials to "advance US interests and values and to responsibly manage the relationship." The Chinese ministry statement, which comes ahead of Sherman's meeting with Wang, accused the US of wanting to reignite a "sense of national purpose" by orchestrating a "whole-of-government and whole-of-society" campaign to demonize and suppress China. "The US seems to be demanding cooperation when it wants something from China; decoupling, cutting off supplies, blockading or sanctioning China when it believes it has advantage; and resorting to conflict and confrontation at all costs," said Xie, according to the statement.

Xie was also quoted as saying the US was in "no position to lecture China on democracy and human rights," pointing to the US' historic treatment of Native Americans, and US military action.
The US side has yet to release a statement on the meeting.

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