The US is in “fundamental disagreement” with China over trade and foreign policy, Washington’s top diplomat said, as relations between the two superpowers continue to deteriorate.

Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, arrived in Beijing on Monday to brief China on his visit to Pyongyang and his latest talks with Kim Jong-un, the North Korea leader.

But recent diplomatic spats, in which the US have ramped up its trade war and accused China of meddling in the midterm election, appeared to dominate, manifesting in a frosty public exchange between Mr Pompeo and Wang Yi, Chia’s foreign minister.

“We have grave concerns about the actions that China has taken,” Mr Pompeo told a press conference while standing next to his counterpart.

Mr Wang reciprocated the terse tone, saying the US had made “a direct attack on our mutual trust, and has cast a shadow on US-China relations".