Top China and US Diplomats Discuss Future Meetings

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by phone on September 17 as Beijing and Washington prepared for another round of high-level discussions. Wang said both countries should prepare carefully for future meetings and conduct their interactions with equality, mutual respect and reciprocity.

Wang stressed the importance of communication between the leaders of China and the United States. He said both sides should strengthen communication, expand areas of cooperation, manage their differences and respect each other’s core interests.

The phone call came ahead of an expected meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Washington on September 24. Trump has said the meeting is planned, although the official Chinese summary of the Wang-Rubio conversation did not directly confirm the upcoming summit.

The two countries continue to deal with several important issues, including trade, technology, Taiwan and wider international security concerns. Their diplomatic engagement is aimed at maintaining communication while managing differences between the two governments.

Wang and Rubio also discussed the situation in the Middle East during their conversation. The discussion came a day after Wang held talks in Beijing with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

During his meeting with Araghchi, Wang called on Iran and the United States to remain calm and exercise restraint. He also urged the two sides to return to the interim peace agreement reached in June and resume substantive negotiations.

Wang also called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, an important international shipping route. Developments around the strait have raised concerns about energy supplies and international trade, making the issue an important part of wider diplomatic discussions.

The latest phone call shows that China and the United States are continuing diplomatic contact ahead of the expected leaders’ meeting. While differences remain between the two countries, officials on both sides continue to use high-level communication to discuss areas of disagreement and possible cooperation.

The upcoming Xi-Trump meeting, if confirmed as planned, is expected to receive close international attention. The discussions could cover bilateral relations as well as broader issues involving trade, security and the situation in the Middle East.