US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations and finalize preparations for the expected meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in Shenzhen.

Chinese state media described the conversation as positive and constructive. Wang stated that the current stability in China-US relations has not come easily and represents a rational choice based on the interests of both nations. He noted that the leaders agreed during Xi's September visit to the US to enrich the new vision for bilateral ties and provide clearer strategic guidance.

Wang expressed China's willingness to strengthen communication and cooperation, properly handle differences, and support each other in hosting upcoming events including the 2026 APEC meeting and the G20 summit in the United States. No immediate readout came from the US State Department.

The call comes one week before the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting scheduled for November 18-19 in Shenzhen. Trump and Xi have already met twice this year. Rubio indicated on Tuesday that work continues on arranging a possible trilateral meeting on the sidelines involving Trump, Xi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Trump has said he wants to occur.

Trump has expressed interest in discussing the end of the war in Iran and denuclearization during such talks. China has shown less enthusiasm for three-way arms control discussions focused on nuclear weapons.

The diplomatic engagement follows trade stabilization agreements reached at last year's APEC summit in South Korea after earlier tariff escalations in 2025. The upcoming summit provides another opportunity for direct leader-level engagement amid ongoing strategic competition between the two powers.