China says its relationship with the U.S is now in a "stalemate"

During a talk last Monday, Chinese vice foreign minister Xie Feng told U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman that the relationship between the two countries is in a stalemate" and may face "serious difficulties", according to a release from China'S Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting which held in the Chinese city of Tianjin, began with criticism of the Chinese government. The Chinese senior government official said the criticisms springs from the portrayal of China as an "imagined enemy" by some Americans. In the release, the ministry urged the United States to "change its highly misguided mindset and dangerous policy" towards China. It added that China would still like to work with the U.S. only on terms and conditions that favor Chinese interests.

The United States and China have been going back and forth on several issues, escalating the tensions between both countries. Former US president Donald Trump imposed tariffs and sanctions on China in an attempt to address the longstanding criticism against the Asian country. The criticisms include lack of intellectual property protection, unequal market access, human right abuse, and forcing businesses to transfer technology to operate in the country, among others.

US president Joe Biden has increased the criticisms against China following growing concerns of human right abuses in Chinese regions — Xinjiang, Hong Kong. Matters which Beijing refers to as "internal affairs" and the United States had no business in. In China's defense, Xie claimed the country has never "coerced any country" as the US is mingling in its affairs.

"The US is paying very close attention to all of these different hot spots partially to capitalize on any opportunities whereby frustration with China drives this countries more into alignment with the US," Nick Mario, lead, global trade, at The Economist Intelligence Unit, in an email.

"As a result, it's unlikely that the Chinese vice foreign minister's comments are going to be well received by the US delegation, much less prompt a rethink in Biden's wider strategy towards Asia."

The aim of the meeting between the US and Chinese senior officials wasn't a negotiation. Rather, it was an attempt to maintain high-level communication channels, according to senior state officials in a briefing over the weekend.