Wang Yi and Marco Rubio discuss the situation in the Middle East

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio discussed the situation in the Middle East, according to official media in Beijing, during a phone call held on Thursday ahead of an anticipated summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Washington next week.

Meanwhile, the Xinhua News Agency quoted Wang as telling Rubio that Beijing and Washington should “prepare for the next phase of high-level exchanges in a spirit of equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefit.”