On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Manila. The two discussed the need to identify areas of cooperation to lay the groundwork for a "very positive visit" to Washington by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September.
Rubio acknowledged that while there are significant differences between the US and China, both sides must manage these differences to prevent escalation. He said, "There are areas of great differences. Both sides will acknowledge that. We'll have to work through those, and I think these differences will exist for the foreseeable future."
He added that both countries will defend their national interests but sees potential areas for cooperation. The talks lasted about 90 minutes amid a fragile truce between the world’s two largest economies. Rubio noted that allegations of Chinese interference in US elections, raised by former President Donald Trump, were not discussed during the meeting.
The two leaders previously met in May in Beijing, where China announced that Xi Jinping would make a state visit to the United States in the autumn.
Regarding a recent altercation on Monday between China’s coast guard and Philippine navy personnel, Rubio described it as an escalation that benefits no one. He reaffirmed that Washington remains bound by its defense treaty to support Manila.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi did not speak to the media following the meeting, and China has yet to issue a statement on the discussions.
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