China and US Prepare for High-Level Talks Ahead of Xi-Trump Meeting

China and the United States are preparing for another round of high-level diplomatic engagement after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call on Thursday, September 17. The discussion comes as Beijing and Washington manage tensions across several areas while preparing for possible talks between their presidents.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wang and Rubio held an in-depth discussion focused on high-level exchanges between the two countries. Wang said Beijing and Washington should prepare for the next stage of high-level engagement in a spirit of equality, respect and reciprocity.

The call also included discussion of the situation in the Middle East, according to China’s Foreign Ministry. The conversation followed Wang’s meeting in Beijing on Wednesday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

Possible Xi-Trump Meeting

The diplomatic contact comes about a week before an expected visit to the United States by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

US President Donald Trump has said Xi is expected to visit the United States and meet him on September 24. However, China’s official account of the Wang-Rubio conversation did not explicitly confirm the presidential meeting. Reuters reported that Beijing instead described the discussion as preparations for high-level exchanges.

That distinction is significant because a diplomatic preparation does not by itself confirm that a particular presidential meeting or agreement will take place.

Wang described head-of-state diplomacy as an anchor of China-US relations. He said both sides should strengthen communication, expand cooperation, manage differences and respect each other’s core interests, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Middle East Also on the Agenda

The two diplomats also exchanged views on the Middle East as fighting and diplomatic tensions continue to affect the region.

China’s Foreign Ministry said the Middle East was discussed during the call, but its public account did not provide a detailed breakdown of every issue raised by Rubio.

The timing of the conversation is notable because Wang had met Iran’s foreign minister one day earlier.

During that meeting, Wang urged Iran and the United States to exercise restraint, return to an interim peace arrangement reached in June and engage in substantive consultations. He also called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters’ account of China’s diplomatic statements.

The Strait of Hormuz has become an important issue in the wider regional crisis because of its role in international energy transportation.

A Relationship Still Defined by Differences

The latest diplomatic contact does not mean that major disagreements between Washington and Beijing have disappeared.

China and the United States continue to have differences involving trade, technology, security, Taiwan and other strategic issues. Both governments have nevertheless maintained diplomatic channels aimed at managing those disputes.

Earlier this year, Wang and Rubio also held discussions about maintaining communication and implementing understandings reached by Xi and Trump. China’s Foreign Ministry said in a June account that both sides agreed to continue communication and work on the understandings reached by their leaders.

The two countries have also continued discussions on artificial intelligence and military risk. Reuters reported on September 17 that American and Chinese security experts had proposed safeguards for the use of AI in military systems, including human oversight and direct communication channels for managing potential incidents.

Those proposals have not been formally adopted by either government.

Why the Diplomatic Contact Matters

China and the United States are the world’s two largest economies and have extensive commercial, technological and security relationships. Decisions made by either government can therefore affect international trade, financial markets, technology supply chains and diplomatic relations well beyond their borders.

The immediate significance of Thursday’s call is that senior officials from both countries continue to use direct diplomatic channels despite unresolved disputes.

For Beijing, Wang’s comments emphasised equality, mutual respect, reciprocity and the management of differences. For Washington, the continuation of direct contact provides another channel for discussions ahead of possible leader-level engagement.

The actual outcome will depend on what the two governments discuss and whether those discussions lead to concrete agreements.

What Happens Next

Attention now turns to the expected high-level engagement between Xi and Trump and whether it is formally confirmed by both governments.

Issues likely to remain important include trade and technology restrictions, strategic competition, Taiwan, military communication and the wider Middle East crisis.

The latest Wang-Rubio call does not resolve those disputes. It does, however, show that both governments continue to maintain senior-level communication while preparing for another possible phase of direct engagement.

For now, the next major question is whether the diplomatic contacts between Beijing and Washington produce concrete agreements or remain focused primarily on managing their differences.