The United States and China have traded barbs at the international security conference in Germany. The verbal swipes have highlighted the deepening rift between the two countries.

US Vice President Kamala Harris and China's top diplomat Wang Yi both addressed the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

Harris said the United States is "troubled" that Beijing's relationship with Moscow has deepened since the war began.

She went on to say that China's military support for Russia could "further undermine a rules-based order."

Wang slammed Washington for shooting down a Chinese balloon. He described the US action as "unbelievable, almost hysterical."

The Chinese diplomat urged the US "to show its sincerity and correct its mistakes, face up and resolve this incident." He said the matter has damaged relations between the two countries.