Rubio and Wang Lay Groundwork for Trump-Xi Talks

Handshakes in Munich, tariffs in the background — Washington and Beijing edge toward a possible summit.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday in Munich, as Washington and Beijing prepare for a possible visit by President Donald Trump to China in April.

The hour-long meeting, held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, marked at least the second in-person encounter between the two top diplomats. Rubio and Wang posed briefly for cameras before entering private talks with senior aides. Neither side made public remarks.

The discussions come amid efforts to stabilize relations following months of trade tensions and tariff disputes. In October, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached a framework trade agreement in South Korea aimed at easing confrontation. Washington agreed to hold off on imposing steep tariffs on Chinese imports, while Beijing paused new export licensing measures on rare earth minerals and magnets.

Earlier this month, Trump described a phone call with Xi as “very positive,” and said Beijing was considering increasing U.S. soybean purchases to 20 million metric tons this season, up from 12 million.

Despite signs of improved economic dialogue, Taiwan remains a persistent flashpoint. During his call with Trump, Xi reportedly stressed that Taiwan is the most sensitive issue in bilateral relations and urged caution over U.S. arms sales to the island.

In December, the Trump administration announced an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan — the largest ever approved for the self-governing island, which China claims as its territory. Beijing responded with military exercises around Taiwan later that month.

Friday’s meeting in Munich underscored cautious engagement between the world’s two largest economies. Whether the anticipated Trump-Xi summit will ease deeper strategic tensions remains uncertain.