The early signs from Anchorage are not promising

U.S. and Chinese officials have begun their much-anticipated talks in Anchorage by publicly rebuking each other.

Perhaps the Americans are determined to demonstrate that the fierce rhetoric of the Trump administration might be a thing of the past but hard nose political positions are not. Regardless, it will not be well received in Beijing, which already is angry at Washington because of new sanctions against various Chinese officials. What should be of more concern to the White House is that the sanctions will have no impact on Chinese decision making.

These meetings with the Chinese are the first major international initiative of the Biden presidency.

If the best the Americans do is talk tough, then the conversations in Anchorage ought to be criticized in the U.S.