Last Friday, Jan. 24, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had his first discussion with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at the request of Rubio. As is well known, Rubio is a China-hawk, and the discussion was likely prickly—as can be seen in the readouts. Rubio said “the Trump Administration will pursue a U.S.-P.R.C. relationship that advances U.S. interests and puts the American people first,” according to the State Department readout. He also “stressed the United States’ commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China’s coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea.”
Wang Yi took somewhat of a different approach, and began by reminding Rubio of the recent call between Presidents Trump and Xi. Xi had “comprehensively elaborated on China’s policy toward the United States, and President Trump made positive response, saying that he looks forward to maintaining good relations with President Xi and emphasizing that United States and China working together can solve many problems in the world,” Wang said. Trump and Xi have therefore “pointed out the direction and set the tone for China-U.S. relations,” he stressed, according to the Foreign Ministry readout.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Wang ended their discussion by emphasizing that “big countries should act in a manner befitting their status,” and encouraged Rubio: “I hope you will act accordingly and play a constructive role for the future of the people of China and the United States, as well as for the peace and stability of the world.”