US Secretary of State Rubio meets China's Wang Yi at ASEAN Manila to discuss Xi Jinping's planned US visit and South China Sea
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila on July 22; the talks covered a potential visit by President Xi Jinping to the United States, the Philippines-China clash at Ayungin Shoal, and shipping through international waterways; Rubio stressed the US sought dialogue despite differences
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Summary
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of ASEAN's Manila ministerial meeting on July 22. The bilateral covered three issues: a planned visit by President Xi Jinping to the United States, the violent clash between Philippine Navy sailors and China's Coast Guard at Ayungin Shoal on July 20, and safe passage through international maritime waterways. Rubio described the Ayungin confrontation as "very negative and benefiting no one" and noted that China has been "pretty clear" it does not support any tolling or restrictions on global shipping through international waterways, a signal with direct relevance to Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb closures. Rubio stressed the US seeks dialogue with China "irrespective of differences."
The split
The meeting was reported factually in Pakistani and Japanese press; no Chinese foreign ministry readout was among the verified feed docs. Nikkei Asia provides the most detailed English-language account, including Rubio's direct quotes, which are the clearest window into what was actually said. The framing in East Asian press is distinctly focused on the Xi visit as a signal of whether a summit between Trump and Xi is being prepared; Pakistani coverage is more geopolitical-overview.
By the numbers
- 3, issues confirmed on the agenda: Xi US visit, Ayungin Shoal clash, maritime waterways
- 0, confirmed date for any Xi-Trump summit
- July 22, date of the Wang Yi-Rubio bilateral at ASEAN Manila
Why it matters
A Rubio-Wang Yi meeting covering a potential Xi US visit suggests the two governments are at minimum exploring whether a Trump-Xi summit could happen in 2026. Xi has not visited the United States since 2023. Against a backdrop of the US-Iran war, the Philippines-China SCS clash, and both Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb closed to tankers, such a visit would carry significant weight as a stability signal, or become impossible to stage.
What to watch
- Whether either side confirms a formal agenda or date for a Xi US visit
- Whether the Ayungin Shoal issue is raised again in subsequent US-China contacts
- China's formal response to the Rubio-Wang Yi meeting (foreign ministry statement)
- Whether a Trump-Xi call or summit is announced in the weeks following Manila