Thread by @nickschifrin

There's an ongoing blowup in #Anchorage. At 520p eastern, @SecBlinken and @JakeSullivan46 made about 10 minutes of initial statements. Blinken said US was pushing back against Chinese practices to ensure that "might does not make right."

Yang Jiechi responded for 18 minutes, criticizing US: "We don't believe in invading through use of force, topple other regimes, massacre people of other countries... Important for US to change own image... Many people in US have little confidence in US democracy..."

Yang then continued, raising cyber attacks--this time pausing to ensure the translator went sentence by sentence: "Whether it's ability to launch cyber attacks, or technologies that could be deployed, the US is the champion... You can't blame this problem on somebody else."

That was supposed to be it. Opening statement over, US media pool excused. But @SecBlinken and @JakeSullivan46 told pool to stay: "given your extended remarks, let me add a few of my own." @SecBlinken: "It's never a good bet to bet against America."

And then @JakeSullivan46: "A confident country is able to look hard at its own shortcomings, and constantly seek to improve."

Then at 625p eastern, pool is forced to leave. But Chinese diplomats complained it wasn't fair. Poolers @EenaRuffini @jakesNYT @humeyra_pamuk pick up the story: Yang criticized US for speaking condescendingly, and said the removal of the media proved US doesn't support democracy.

And now senior US Administration makes this statement: "We will use the remaining hours to outline for Chinese delegation in private same messages delivered in public. Chinese delegation, on other hand, seems intent on grandstanding, focused on public theatrics and dramatics...

"They made that clear by promptly violating protocol; we had agreed to short (two-minute) opening statements by each principal..."

Went back to the tape. For the record: @SecBlinken opening statement lasted 2:27. @JakeSullivan46 opening statement 2:17. Yang Jiechi initial statement 16:14. Then 3:26 with alternating Mandarin and English. Wang Yi opening statement 4:09.