<p>The top Chinese and US security advisers have held lengthy talks, with both sides describing them as "candid" following days of acrimonious exchanges over Taiwan and other flashpoint issues.</p>.<p>Readouts of the meeting in Luxembourg on Monday were toned down compared with last week, when China's defence minister warned his country would not "hesitate to start a war" over Taiwan, while the US defense secretary blasted Beijing's "provocative, destabilising" military activity.</p>.<p>But US security advisor Jake Sullivan and top diplomat Yang Jiechi did not indicate any compromise on their core points of disagreement, especially Taiwan. China considers the self-ruled island a part of its territory, to be seized by force one day if necessary.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/china-wades-into-furore-over-controversial-remarks-against-prophet-hopes-incident-can-be-properly-managed-1117819.html" target="_blank">China wades into furore over controversial remarks against Prophet, hopes incident can be properly managed</a></strong></p>.<p>"The Taiwan question concerns the political foundation of China-US relations which, unless handled properly, will have a subversive impact," Yang was quoted as saying by China's official Xinhua news agency.</p>.<p>"The United States should not have any misjudgements or illusions (about Taiwan)."</p>.<p>A senior White House official said Sullivan reiterated the US policy of recognising Chinese sovereignty but expressed "concerns about Beijing's coercive and aggressive actions across the Taiwan Strait".</p>.<p>Tensions over Taiwan have escalated in recent months due to increasing Chinese military aircraft incursions into the island's air defence identification zone (ADIZ).</p>.<p>US President Joe Biden, during a visit to Japan last month, appeared to break decades of US policy when, in response to a question, he said Washington would defend Taiwan militarily if it was attacked by China.</p>.<p>The White House has since insisted its policy of "strategic ambiguity" over whether or not it would intervene had not changed.</p>.<p>The Sullivan-Yang meeting, which followed up on a May 18 phone call, lasted about four and a half hours, the White House official told reporters.</p>.<p>Xinhua said the talks were "candid, in-depth, and constructive" while the White House statement described them as "candid, substantive, and productive".</p>.<p>The US-China relationship has deteriorated in recent years, with the two powers locking horns on several issues, from international trade and security to human rights in China and -- most recently -- the Russian invasion of Ukraine.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-appears-to-be-expanding-its-nuclear-arsenal-claims-sipri-1117822.html" target="_blank">India appears to be expanding its nuclear arsenal, claims SIPRI</a></strong></p>.<p>On Monday, Sullivan "underscored the importance of keeping open lines of communication to manage competition between our two countries", according to the White House.</p>.<p>Yang also agreed on maintaining dialogue, Xinhua said, but made clear that Beijing was not going to shift its red lines.</p>.<p>"For some time... the US side has been insisting on further containing and suppressing China in an all-round way," he said, according to Xinhua.</p>.<p>But "China firmly opposes using competition to define bilateral ties."</p>.<p>The Xinhua readout said Yang "also stated China's solemn position on issues concerning Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet, the South China Sea, as well as human rights and religion".</p>.<p>China's treatment of Tibetans, Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong have faced growing international condemnation.</p>.<p>But Beijing has bristled at any criticism, saying it will not tolerate interference in its internal affairs.</p>.<p>It has also faced a growing chorus of warnings from the United States and Western allies over its naval ambitions in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely.</p>.<p>There are competing claims from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.</p>.<p>US-China relations entered tense new territory under the previous president Donald Trump, who triggered a trade war in response to what he described as China's abusive trade practices.</p>.<p>Biden has said he is considering lifting some tariffs in an attempt to defuse roaring inflation at home.</p>
<p>The top Chinese and US security advisers have held lengthy talks, with both sides describing them as "candid" following days of acrimonious exchanges over Taiwan and other flashpoint issues.</p>.<p>Readouts of the meeting in Luxembourg on Monday were toned down compared with last week, when China's defence minister warned his country would not "hesitate to start a war" over Taiwan, while the US defense secretary blasted Beijing's "provocative, destabilising" military activity.</p>.<p>But US security advisor Jake Sullivan and top diplomat Yang Jiechi did not indicate any compromise on their core points of disagreement, especially Taiwan. China considers the self-ruled island a part of its territory, to be seized by force one day if necessary.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/china-wades-into-furore-over-controversial-remarks-against-prophet-hopes-incident-can-be-properly-managed-1117819.html" target="_blank">China wades into furore over controversial remarks against Prophet, hopes incident can be properly managed</a></strong></p>.<p>"The Taiwan question concerns the political foundation of China-US relations which, unless handled properly, will have a subversive impact," Yang was quoted as saying by China's official Xinhua news agency.</p>.<p>"The United States should not have any misjudgements or illusions (about Taiwan)."</p>.<p>A senior White House official said Sullivan reiterated the US policy of recognising Chinese sovereignty but expressed "concerns about Beijing's coercive and aggressive actions across the Taiwan Strait".</p>.<p>Tensions over Taiwan have escalated in recent months due to increasing Chinese military aircraft incursions into the island's air defence identification zone (ADIZ).</p>.<p>US President Joe Biden, during a visit to Japan last month, appeared to break decades of US policy when, in response to a question, he said Washington would defend Taiwan militarily if it was attacked by China.</p>.<p>The White House has since insisted its policy of "strategic ambiguity" over whether or not it would intervene had not changed.</p>.<p>The Sullivan-Yang meeting, which followed up on a May 18 phone call, lasted about four and a half hours, the White House official told reporters.</p>.<p>Xinhua said the talks were "candid, in-depth, and constructive" while the White House statement described them as "candid, substantive, and productive".</p>.<p>The US-China relationship has deteriorated in recent years, with the two powers locking horns on several issues, from international trade and security to human rights in China and -- most recently -- the Russian invasion of Ukraine.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-appears-to-be-expanding-its-nuclear-arsenal-claims-sipri-1117822.html" target="_blank">India appears to be expanding its nuclear arsenal, claims SIPRI</a></strong></p>.<p>On Monday, Sullivan "underscored the importance of keeping open lines of communication to manage competition between our two countries", according to the White House.</p>.<p>Yang also agreed on maintaining dialogue, Xinhua said, but made clear that Beijing was not going to shift its red lines.</p>.<p>"For some time... the US side has been insisting on further containing and suppressing China in an all-round way," he said, according to Xinhua.</p>.<p>But "China firmly opposes using competition to define bilateral ties."</p>.<p>The Xinhua readout said Yang "also stated China's solemn position on issues concerning Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet, the South China Sea, as well as human rights and religion".</p>.<p>China's treatment of Tibetans, Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong have faced growing international condemnation.</p>.<p>But Beijing has bristled at any criticism, saying it will not tolerate interference in its internal affairs.</p>.<p>It has also faced a growing chorus of warnings from the United States and Western allies over its naval ambitions in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely.</p>.<p>There are competing claims from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.</p>.<p>US-China relations entered tense new territory under the previous president Donald Trump, who triggered a trade war in response to what he described as China's abusive trade practices.</p>.<p>Biden has said he is considering lifting some tariffs in an attempt to defuse roaring inflation at home.</p>