China and the US engaged in a flurry of high-level talks between their top diplomats and defense chiefs, smoothing the path for a potential meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, reports Bloomberg.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told his Chinese counterpart the US doesn’t seek conflict with Beijing nor is it pursuing regime change in a Tuesday call, according to a statement from the Pentagon. Admiral Dong Jun called for a stable and open relationship with the US in his first conversation with Hegseth, while warning any attempt to support Taiwan’s independence would fail, China’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Hours later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio—who was twice sanctioned by Beijing before taking office—spoke with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, emphasizing the importance of “open and constructive communication on a range of bilateral issues,” according to the US read out.