A former senior U.S. policy advisor has criticized Chinese officials for failing to observe diplomatic demeanor during their high-level meeting with U.S. officials in Alaska, as the fallout continues to raise questions over whether China-U.S. relations can improve under the Biden administration.

Miles Yu, who advised former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on China policy during the Trump administration, described the meeting as a “great failure of diplomacy” on the part of the Chinese officials. Yu added that the officials had not sincerely reflected on the state of China-U.S. relations and had merely blamed the U.S. for everything.

Chinese and U.S. officials shared angry words on Thursday while appearing in front of the media at the start of the first meeting session. The exchange, which was intended to last only a few minutes, went on for more than an hour before the meeting moved behind closed doors.

In an interview with Radio Free Asia, Yu noted that “wolf-warrior diplomacy” was previously practiced by lower-level officials, such as during the Chinese Foreign Ministry briefings, but now it was reflected in the manner of high-level officials, indicating a change in China’s strategy.

Yu said it showed the Chinese approach to diplomacy was becoming more inflexible, and this could only cause more isolation for China internationally in the future.

He also contrasted the hard-line behavior of Yang Jiechi — the most senior Chinese foreign affairs official — with his more low-key attitude earlier in his career. Yu said he believed Yang had been instructed to take a tougher approach and was reduced to a “mouthpiece.”

However, there are more favorable conditions for improving China-U.S. relations today compared to 50 years ago, according to Fu Ying, former vice minister of foreign affairs in China.

The key is whether China and the U.S. can achieve peaceful coexistence within the international framework, according to Fu.

He said that China and the U.S. need to shoulder their historical responsibilities, facing and resolving their differences calmly and objectively.

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