Rubio spoke Wednesday with China's Wang Yi, State Department says

WASHINGTON: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Wednesday with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on global and regional issues, in a follow-up to the meeting the two held in Malaysia this year, State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.

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Rubio and Wang met to continue positive talks from their earlier meeting in Malaysia, focusing on bilateral and global issues.
China criticised recent US actions as harmful to its interests, especially regarding Taiwan and internal affairs.
Trade tensions remain high, with extended tariff truces and US pressure on allies to target China economically.

"Secretary Rubio emphasized the importance of open and constructive communication on a range of bilateral issues," Pigott said in a statement. "They also discussed other global and regional issues as a continuation of the discussions in Kuala Lumpur."

Rubio met Wang in July on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Malaysia, in a meeting both sides described as positive and constructive, despite tensions over U.S. tariffs.

Rubio said at the time that the odds of U.S. President Donald Trump meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping were high.

The Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement that both sides saw the latest conversation as "timely, necessary and fruitful".

"The recent negative words and actions taken by the U.S. side have harmed China's legitimate rights and interests, interfered in China's internal affairs, and are not conducive to the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations," Wang said, according to the ministry readout.

Wang urged caution especially on issues involving China's core interests such as Taiwan.

The rise of global trade barriers since Trump's return to the presidency has exacerbated challenges for China's export-driven economy, with the imposition of sweeping duties on imports of Chinese products setting off months of tit-for-tat tariff escalations.

Washington and Beijing in August extended a truce for 90 days, staving off even higher duties.

Trump urged EU officials on Tuesday to hit China with tariffs of up to 100% as part of a strategy to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a U.S. official and an EU diplomat.

China and India are major purchasers of Russian oil and, as such, they play a vital role in keeping Russia's economy afloat as it continues to pursue its expanded invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022.