(Bloomberg) -- China accused the US of encouraging provocations by other countries in the South China Sea as the superpowers met for “candid” talks on maritime issues on Friday, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Chinese officials also expressed “serious concerns” over other aspects of US behavior, including increased regional military deployment and “close reconnaissance,” the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
The talks reflect stepped-up bilateral exchanges in recent months to ease tensions. The countries exchanged views on topics including maritime security, the economy and environment in a constructive manner, the ministry said. Both sides called for better communication and management of the maritime situation to prevent misunderstanding and misjudgment, it said.
China called on the US to respect China's territorial sovereignty and its maritime rights, stop intervening in regional maritime controversies and play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability, according to the statement.
US President Joe Biden and China's leader, Xi Jinping, are preparing to meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco this month. The US is set to hold rare nuclear arms control talks with China, Bloomberg News reported earlier, as the two countries are gradually resuming a range of exchanges that had been cut short amid tensions since Biden and Xi met at a Group of 20 summit in Bali a year ago.
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