China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, underscoring the importance of maintaining stability in bilateral relations and preparing for future high-level exchanges.

The discussion came ahead of US President Donald Trump’s forthcoming visit to China, scheduled for mid-May.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, Wang Yi emphasised that head-of-state diplomacy has long been the cornerstone of China-US relations. He noted that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Trump, ties between the two nations have remained broadly stable, delivering benefits to both countries and meeting the expectations of the international community.

Wang urged both sides to preserve this hard-earned stability by making thorough preparations for the upcoming engagements, expanding cooperation, and managing differences effectively.

He further called for building a strategic, constructive, and stable relationship grounded in mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. Wang Yi stressed that such efforts would not only strengthen bilateral ties but also contribute meaningfully to global peace and stability.

Addressing one of the most sensitive issues in the relationship, he underscored that the Taiwan question remains central to China’s core interests and represents the most significant risk to China-US relations. He urged the United States to honour its commitments and make what he described as “the right choice” to create new opportunities for cooperation.

President Trump is set to visit China from 14 to 15 May to meet President Xi Jinping. The highly anticipated meeting had been postponed due to US military operations in Iran. In a post on Truth Social last month, Trump confirmed the rescheduled dates and added that he would host President Xi and his wife for a reciprocal visit to Washington later this year.

ANI