Second session of US-China strategic dialogue in Alaska ends

The second session of the high-level strategic talks between the US and China in Alaska's Anchorage has come to an end, Sputnik citing Chinese state-run broadcaster reported on Friday.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), the second round of talks started Thursday at around 7:45 p.m. local time (03:45 GMT on Friday) and ended around 10 p.m, as reported by Sputnik.

The Chinese delegation has already left the meeting room and returned to the hotel. Later on Friday, the sides will hold the third session, the broadcaster said.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan started the first meeting with Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi in Alaska's largest city, Anchorage.

The first high-level meeting between the Biden administration and China in Alaska saw acrimonious exchanges between US and Chinese officials, indicating the deep divide between the two sides despite the change of guard at the White House.

At the meeting in Anchorage, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement that the Biden administration would bring up "deep concerns" about Beijing's actions around the world and his condemnation of China for breaking rules that keep at bay "a more violent world," was met with immediate pushback from the Chinese.

According to CNN, during the first session, the Chinese had accused the US delegation of being "condescending" in its tone, while a US official said the representatives from Beijing seemed "intent on grandstanding."

Under the Trump administration, ties between the two countries had deteriorated over issues such as human rights violations in Xinjiang, encroachment on the special status of Hong Kong, accusations of unfair trade practices by Beijing, lack of transparency concerning the Coronavirus pandemic and China's military aggression in various parts of the world.

( With inputs from ANI )