US Secretary of State and Chinese counterpart meet in Manila

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi today in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, regarding arrangements for the anticipated visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington in September.

During their participation in the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers, the two officials discussed a number of strategic and commercial issues amid current international conditions.

Rubio stated after the meeting that the talks were constructive and focused on the need to manage the complex relationship between the world’s two largest economies. He noted that both sides reviewed issues related to trade, the Taiwan question, and potential areas of cooperation, paving the way for the upcoming summit between the two presidents.

In remarks to journalists, Rubio expressed expectations of a highly positive visit by the Chinese president to the United States, emphasizing the importance of maintaining direct communication channels between Washington and Beijing regardless of differences in positions, in order to build common ground and avoid sliding into an uncalculated confrontation.

For his part, Wang Yi stressed the necessity of respecting Beijing’s core interests and adhering to the “One China” principle as a condition for stable relations. He pointed out that the Taiwan issue represents the most prominent challenge and called for translating the consensus between the two presidents into concrete understandings and actions to overcome obstacles.

According to news reports, the two sides also discussed hot regional and international issues, including Middle East tensions, maritime security, and the South China Sea, with China reaffirming the importance of the strategic partnership.