shuāng fāng / zài / zhèng shì / tán pàn / qián / xiān / jìn xíng / le / yī chǎng / wài jiāo / shàng / de / qián shào zhàn

双方在正式谈判前，先进行了一场外交上的前哨战。

Before the formal negotiations, the two sides first engaged in a diplomatic skirmish.