China and US Discuss Trump-Xi Meetings as Wang Yi Holds Call With Marco Rubio

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio have held a telephone conversation on bilateral relations and upcoming high-level diplomatic engagements, as Beijing and Washington prepare for a series of international summits that could shape the direction of their relationship.

The call took place on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at China's request, according to the U.S. State Department. The two officials discussed U.S. President Donald Trump's planned visit to China for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to Florida for the Group of 20 summit.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry described the conversation as positive and constructive, saying both sides had conducted an in-depth exchange of views on China-U.S. relations and interactions between the two heads of state.

According to the official Chinese readout published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang said Xi's September visit to the United States had been smooth and successful. He added that the two presidents had agreed to develop a new vision for bilateral relations and provide clearer strategic guidance for managing ties between the world's two largest economies.

Wang said the stability achieved in recent months had not come easily and reflected the interests of both countries. He also reiterated China's willingness to strengthen communication, expand cooperation and properly manage differences and sensitive issues.

The U.S. State Department's account provided additional details about the discussions. In its official readout, Washington said Rubio and Wang recalled the two leaders' commitment to a constructive relationship based on strategic stability, respect, fairness and reciprocity.

The U.S. statement also said the officials discussed the importance of meaningful leader-level conversations to advance goals such as peace and denuclearization, including at any potential trilateral leaders' meeting involving Russia.

The difference in emphasis between the two public statements is notable. China's readout focused on bilateral relations, cooperation and the management of differences, while the U.S. account explicitly mentioned denuclearization and the possibility of a trilateral meeting with Moscow.

The discussion comes ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, scheduled for Nov. 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, southern China. Trump is expected to attend the summit, where he could meet Xi for further discussions on trade, technology and regional security.

The two governments have recently taken steps to prevent trade tensions from escalating further. A temporary tariff arrangement has provided some breathing space for exporters, while both sides have continued to discuss market access, technology restrictions and supply-chain issues.

However, substantial disagreements remain. The United States maintains restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductors and related technology to China, while Beijing continues to oppose what it describes as unilateral trade and technology restrictions.

The possibility of a meeting involving Xi, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has also attracted attention. Rubio has previously discussed the idea of a trilateral meeting, although no confirmed agenda, format or final schedule has been announced.

Any such discussion would face complex diplomatic questions, particularly over nuclear arms control. China has previously argued that its nuclear arsenal is not comparable in scale with those of the United States and Russia and has resisted joining trilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations on the same terms.

For businesses and investors, the most immediate significance of the latest phone call is that both governments appear willing to maintain direct communication ahead of major diplomatic events. Stable high-level channels could help reduce uncertainty surrounding trade and investment, although they do not guarantee the resolution of outstanding disputes.

The upcoming APEC meeting will provide an important test of whether the two sides can translate diplomatic engagement into practical cooperation. The outcome could influence the broader economic and geopolitical environment across the Asia-Pacific region.