US, Chinese top diplomats meet in Manila ahead of Xi's Washington trip
11:54, 22/07/2026, WednesdayU: Update: 12:02, 22/07/2026, Wednesday
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in Manila on Wednesday on the sidelines of an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, with discussions likely touching upon Chinese President Xi Jinping's anticipated visit to Washington later this year.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in Manila on Wednesday on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' meeting, with the two sides likely discussing Chinese President Xi Jinping's expected visit to Washington later this year. The diplomats met in the Philippine capital as the country currently chairs the 11-member bloc.
Discussions likely centered on Xi's anticipated trip to Washington, which follows an invitation extended by Trump during his May state visit to China. The visit is expected to take place this September.
US-China tensions
The encounter comes days after Trump accused Beijing of interfering in US elections, a claim dismissed by Chinese authorities and disputed by American election security experts. The allegations have added strain to bilateral relations ahead of the planned summit.
Previous engagements
Rubio and Wang held their first face-to-face meeting in Kuala Lumpur last year on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit. The two have maintained regular contact through several phone calls, and Rubio accompanied Trump to Beijing during the May state visit.