China, US ‘should prepare’ for next high-level exchanges ahead of Xi-Trump meet, Wang Yi tells Rubio

Trump is expected to host Xi at the White House next week, with trade, artificial intelligence and the US-Iran war among the issues likely to feature in their discussions

Days ahead of a likely meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday spoke by phone, according to a Reuters report, citing Chinese state media.

During his call with Rubio, Wang said China and the US “should prepare for next stage of high-level exchanges in spirit of equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit”, added the report, citing Xinhua.

Wang also said bilateral ties had “generally” moved forward along the “track of constructive strategic stability for some time”.

The war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February and has added to tensions between Washington and Beijing, with China seeking to avoid US sanctions over dealings with Tehran.

Trade remains another major concern for the world’s two largest economies, which continue to work to limit the fallout from Trump’s global tariffs.

The threat of conflict over Taiwan also remains a major point of contention in US-China relations.

China’s official readout of the call did not explicitly confirm an upcoming meeting between Xi and Trump, but said Wang and Rubio “held in-depth discussions focused on high-level exchanges between the two countries.”

The two foreign policy chiefs also discussed West Asia, China’s foreign ministry said, a day after Wang held talks in Beijing with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

During his meeting with Araqchi on Wednesday, Wang urged Iran and the US to remain rational, exercise restraint, return to the interim peace deal they signed in June and “engage in substantive consultations”, while also calling for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.