"Is that the way that you had hoped to conduct this dialogue?" foreign minister Wang Yi asked through an interpreter, during opening remarks in the meeting with US secretary of state Antony Blinken and national security advisor Jake Sullivan.
Following the meeting, Sullivan said the talks were "tough and direct" and the US would continue to work with China going forward.
The gold price is a little lower about US$1,739 an ounce on the spot market.
There were some big moves by juniors in Toronto on Friday, with the likes of Diamond Fields Resources (TSXV: DFR) and Quartz Mountain Resources (TSXV: QZM) up 40% and 37% respectively on no news.
Harte Gold (TSX: HRT) gained a further 21.4% after producer New Gold agreed to take a 14.9% stake at a 15% premium.
Among the majors, Freeport-McMoRan closed down 1.2% in New York and Anglo American fell 3.38% in London.
South Africa has a public holiday today for Human Rights Day.
