Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States of America on January 20. Three weeks later, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Biden on his victory in a phone call on the Chinese New Year's Eve.

During their conversation, President Xi reviewed the development of bilateral ties, noting that the two sides need to manage differences and focus on cooperation rather than confrontation. He added that relations are at a critical moment, and healthy and stable ties between the two are the common expectation of the global community.

Biden said he agrees the two should avoid conflict, suggesting China and the U.S. could cooperate in areas such as climate change, and the U.S. is ready to hold frank and constructive conversations with China under the principle of mutual respect to improve mutual understanding.

However, the warm comments and talk of cooperation didn't last long. Just ahead of the first face-to-face talks between Chinese and U.S. officials, since Biden took office, Washington issued a joint document with Tokyo, singling China out as a challenge to the U.S. and its allies when it comes to international order.

"We think the cooperation and communication between Japan and the U.S. should strengthen regional understanding and trust, should be beneficial to cooperation among countries in the region and beneficial to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and that it shouldn't target any third party or harm the interests of any third party," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian reacted.

Right before this week's high-level meeting, Washington also imposed new sanctions on 24 officials in the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), saying they are interfering in Hong Kong's freedoms. Beijing reiterated that the HKSAR's affairs are China's internal matters.

"The U.S. sanctions against Chinese individuals in line with its so-called Hong Kong Autonomy Act seriously violates international law and basic norms governing international relations. It fully exposes intentions to interfere in China's internal affairs and disrupt the HKSAR and Chinese mainland's stability and development. China is firmly opposed to this and will take necessary countermeasures," Zhao said.

Washington has repeatedly accused China of violating human rights in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. However, many individuals and international experts have rejected the accusations.

"I have been to Xinjiang several times and I have seen the Uygur people's lives there. I can say that the Chinese government has never infringed the Uygur people there. On the contrary, the central government has helped the Uygur people to develop," said Sergey Sanakoev, director of Russia's Asia-Pacific Research Center.

Deputy Secretary General Muhtram Sherip of the Islamic Association in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region said: "In Xinjiang, normal religious activities are guaranteed. There are 103 Islamic Associations in Xinjiang, and each mosque manages its own religious activities. The property of the mosque is protected by law. Muslim people's access to religious knowledge is unobstructed."

As senior officials from Beijing and Washington wrapped up day one of their talks, experts say that effective communication should be based on mutual understanding, rather than mutual recrimination.