Could Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio in Manila? High-level diplomacy between China and the United States draws attention

Could Foreign Minister Wang Yi soon meet with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio? On July 17, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the U.S. Department of State issued a statement on Friday indicating that Rubio will travel to Manila from July 19 to 23 to attend the ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers Meeting, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting. He will also hold meetings with senior government officials from countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

According to French media, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, along with foreign ministers from Japan, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, are expected to attend the event. Although it is widely anticipated that Rubio and Wang Yi will hold talks during this forum, neither side has officially confirmed whether their top-level diplomatic meeting will take place. Analysts suggest that if such a meeting occurs, the agenda would likely focus on preparations for high-level U.S.-China summits.

Naturally, we have not disclosed any details regarding Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s diplomatic schedule, so whether this meeting will actually happen remains uncertain. However, as the host country of the conference, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs has indicated that both Wang Yi and Rubio are expected to attend in Manila. In fact, based on past practice, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi typically attends the annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held every July. Therefore, the likelihood of his attendance is very high.

As for whether a U.S.-China foreign ministers’ meeting will occur—while the United States has not released any official information—the current state of U.S.-China relations suggests that high-level diplomacy is already smooth. Despite recent misleading signals from the U.S. on the Taiwan issue after former President Trump’s visit to China, it is almost inconceivable for the foreign ministers of the world’s two most influential nations to be present at the same event without holding a meeting. Moreover, given the importance of the Taiwan issue, China has every reason to clearly state its position face-to-face with the United States. Thus, if Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends, the possibility of a high-level U.S.-China foreign ministers’ meeting is very high.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870972084364619/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.