A meeting of top US and Chinese diplomats has gotten off to a frosty start after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi airing grievances amid worsening bilateral relations.

“Recently, as the US side has been constantly escalating trade friction toward China, it has also adopted a series of actions on the Taiwan issue that harm China’s rights, and has made groundless criticism of China’s domestic and foreign policies,” Mr Wang said at a joint appearance with Mr Pompeo.

“We believe this has been a direct attack on our mutual trust, and has cast a shadow on China-US relations.

“We demand that the US side stop this kind of mistaken action.”

Headed to China to meet with State Councilor Wang and Director Yang to strengthen our constructive, results-oriented relationship. Important for U.S. and China to work together towards the final, fully-verified denuclearization of the #DPRK and enforcement of sanctions. pic.twitter.com/6cMWoVdDZs

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 8, 2018

Mr Pompeo, who was briefing Mr Wang following his meeting on Sunday with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said: “The issues that you characterised we have a fundamental disagreement”.

“We have great concerns about the actions that China has taken, and I look forward to having the opportunity to discuss each of those today because this is an incredibly important relationship.”

While the exchange included typical diplomatic pleasantries, and the two emphasised the need for co-operation, the remarks in front of journalists at the start of their meeting at Beijing’s Diaoyutai Guest House were unusually pointed for such events.

The two openly disagreed over which side had called off a bilateral security dialogue that had been due to take place in Beijing this month.

Last week, US Vice President Mike Pence intensified Washington’s pressure campaign against Beijing, going beyond the trade war by accusing China of efforts to undermine President Donald Trump ahead of next month’s congressional elections and of reckless military actions in the South China Sea.

The skirmish came hours after Mr Pompeo said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is ready to allow international inspectors into the North’s nuclear and missile testing sites, one of the main sticking points over an earlier denuclearisation pledge.

.@SecPompeo had a good meeting with Chairman Kim today in Pyongyang. Progress made on Singapore Summit Agreements! I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim again, in the near future. pic.twitter.com/bUa2pkq80s

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2018

Mr Pompeo, who met Mr Kim in Pyongyang, said the inspectors would visit a missile engine test facility and the Punggye-ri nuclear testing site as soon as the two sides agree on logistics.

The top US diplomat also said both sides were “pretty close” to agreement on the details of a second leaders’ summit, which Mr Kim proposed to President Trump in a letter last month.

Mr Pompeo’s trip to Pyongyang, his fourth this year, followed a stalemate as North Korea resisted Washington’s demands to give up its nuclear arsenal, including a complete inventory of its weapons and facilities.

He told South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday his latest trip to Pyongyang was “another step forward” to denuclearisation but there are “many steps along the way”.

-AAP