On Friday 11 July, the ASEAN abroad Ministers Summit in Kuala Lumpur hosted the first individual gathering of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio with Chinese abroad Minister Wang Yi.
After the meeting, Rubio suggested that a gathering of US president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping was likely before the end of this year.
“The odds are big,” he told Rubio to journalists after gathering in Kuala Lumpur. "I think both sides want this to happen".
Rubio called the gathering "very constructive and positive" and stressed the importance of dialogue, pointing out that a unchangeable relation between Washington and Beijing would be beneficial to the full world.
Trump and Xi agreed to visit each another during a telephone call last month. "We will work on setting a deadline and uncovering a date acceptable to both parties," Rubio said on Friday.
During Trump's first term, both leaders visited their countries during the first year. Xi went to the United States in April 2017, and a visit to the Trump Mar-a-Lago property in Florida was included in the visit program. Trump first visited China in November of the same year.
On Friday, July 11, 2025, Wang and Rubio agreed to search areas of possible cooperation while managing the differences between them.
According to a communication from the Chinese abroad Ministry, Wang urged Washington to look at Beijing "from an objective, rational and pragmatic point of view" and to make a policy towards China "with a view to peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation". He called on the United States to "co-operate with China to find the right way for a good relation between the 2 countries in the fresh era". Importantly, there is no mention in the Chinese Communication of a possible gathering of both presidents.
Rubio stressed the importance of maintaining open channels of communication, as stated in the U.S. State Department Communication.
Rubio and Wang spoke on the telephone 4 days after Trump's inauguration, but met personally only on Friday 11 July. During Trump's first term, the abroad ministers of both parties met within a period after the inauguration. The first gathering of abroad ministers for erstwhile president Joe Biden took place after about 2 months.
Both officials attended a February safety conference in Munich, but did not meet during this event. This was due (at least in part) to the United States' intention to impose duties on China “for not stopping the influx of chemical precursors into fentanyl production”.
According to the communications from both sides, Rubio and Wang discussed in the gathering not only issues concerning US-China relations, but besides regional and global issues.
Meeting in Kuala Lumpur may be a signal that Washington wants to avoid escalation of tensions with Beijing. A gathering of high-ranking officials seems to aim to prevent unforeseen events that could harm relations between the 2 countries.
It is alleged that both sides besides discussed Russia's war in Ukraine. Rubio told reporters on the eve of his gathering with Wang that "The Chinese clearly support Russia's actions and I think they are mostly prepared to aid her as much as possible without being caught."
It is believed that Rubio called on China to immediately halt assistance to Russia. China stated that they were neutral in the conflict in Ukraine and denied that they were helping Russia.
The United States maintains that China provides parts and components that enable Russia to produce weapons, effectively sustaining its ability to proceed fighting. China is besides according to the US administration the largest importer of Russian oil, and this is the basis of Moscow's finances. Meanwhile, India is the largest importer of Russian oil. Russian oil besides imports many another countries, including EU countries
According to speculation of the American media, Rubio could besides call on China to halt military intimidation actions threatening the government of president Lai Ching-te in Taiwan. According to the U.S. State Department, during a January telephone conversation, Rubio gave Wang "serious concern about China's repressive actions towards Taiwan and the South China Sea". At the same time, Rubio was besides expected to tell Wang that the United States "does not support" Taiwan's independency – which is in line with Biden's position of administration.
China's position on this issue (Taiwan) and in this context (US action related to Taiwan) is unchanged: the American administration has no mandate to interfere in China's interior affairs.
Rubio, known for his reluctant stance towards China, called the Communist organization of China "the most powerful and dangerous opponent that this nation [United States] has always faced". In 2020, Beijing imposed sanctions on Rubio, including a ban on entering China.
Editorial: Leszek B.
Email: [email protected]
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