The United States urged China to halt its militarisation of the disputed South China Sea in a press conference on November 9, drawing an immediate rebuke from Beijing, which said it hoped the US would stop sending warships and planes close to the islands it has claimed in the strategic waterway. During a round of high-level talks in Washington, the two sides aired many of their main geopolitical differences, including a bitter trade dispute, freedom of navigation in the Asia-Pacific region, the US’ strong ties with self-ruled Taiwan, and China's crackdown on its Uygur Muslim minority.