A US official says the US believes it is going into talks with China in Alaska this week with an increasingly strong hand

  • Biden administration unified in approach to china, attempts by Beijing to divide us will not work
  • says what we hear from China in talks will be important in where we go with our China strategy; looking at deeds not words
  • US not expecting specific negotiated deliverables from meeting with china
  • US will lay down specific areas where it believes Beijing needs to take steps to change course
  • US does not expect a joint statement after meeting with Chinese officials in Alaska
  • US expects 'robust and very frank conversation' with china; has realistic expectations about changing china's behavior
  • US asking China to abide by international rules, but their deeds falling short in many respects
  • US will make clear its concerns about china's 'malicious cyber activity'

US-China strains have not noticeably eased under the new US administration.