China pushes for ‘new narrative’ with US after constructive Malaysia talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has signalled a fresh opening for deeper diplomatic engagement with the United States following talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. According to China’s foreign ministry, Wang described the roughly hour-long meeting on Friday as “constructive”, emphasising that both sides engaged in equal, respectful dialogue and “managed differences while expanding cooperation.” Speaking to Chinese media on Saturday, Wang said the discussions had “paved the way for the next step of exchanges between the two countries’ diplomatic teams,” as quoted in the South China Morning Post. He stressed that China and the United States shared “extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation,” noting that the world’s two largest economies had a “responsibility and opportunity to find a correct way … to get along.”

“From the perspective of historical evolution and humanity as a whole, China and the United States, as two major countries, share extensive common interests,” Wang said, according to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Wang also summarised the meeting’s key outcomes as “strengthened engagement, prevented misjudgments, managed differences, and expanded cooperation,” adding that both sides acknowledged the global impact of their ties.

A crucial meeting amid trade tensions and military rivalries

The Kuala Lumpur sit-down was the first in-person meeting between Wang and Rubio since the latter was confirmed as Secretary of State in January. It comes at a time of escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, marked by the Trump administration’s planned August 1 tariff hikes on US trading partners, including China.

US-China trade frictions have dominated headlines this year. According to Reuters, the Trump administration’s latest tariff threats include raising levies on Chinese electronics, steel, and aluminium, as well as announcing 50% tariffs on copper imports, a move analysts warn could trigger retaliation from Beijing.

Despite the tense backdrop, Rubio struck a cautiously optimistic tone after the meeting, saying the sides had “disagreed on some issues but the talks gave us some things we can work on together.” As reported by SCMP, he also hinted at the possibility of a presidential summit later this year between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, saying the “odds are high” but that both sides would need to “build the right atmosphere and the right deliverables.”

South China Sea calm – but frictions linger

Wang Yi also addressed regional security issues, claiming his talks with Southeast Asian counterparts in Kuala Lumpur about the South China Sea had grown increasingly “calm and confident.” He insisted the disputed waterway was “clearly stable,” with no issues over freedom of navigation or overflight. But he criticised unnamed “external actors” for trying to sow discord, saying these countries “fear that the South China Sea will not be in chaos.”

“Countries in the region have seen [through] these old tricks very clearly,” Wang said, in what observers widely interpreted as a swipe at US involvement. Beijing claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, a position rejected by several ASEAN members, notably the Philippines, a US treaty ally. Clashes between China and the Philippines have intensified over the past year, with Manila accusing Beijing of dangerous manoeuvres and water cannon attacks on Philippine vessels. As per a July 2024 Reuters report, the US has reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines under their Mutual Defense Treaty, warning China that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces in the South China Sea would trigger American defence obligations.

‘New narrative’ for the South China Sea

Recalling his ASEAN meetings, Wang advocated for what he called a “new narrative” centred on peace and stability rather than confrontation. “Of course, there is still one country that remains out of step with the rest, but I believe it will eventually come to its senses. Acting as a pawn for others will only lead to being sacrificed,” he warned, again without naming the Philippines directly.

Wang’s language follows months of tensions in which Beijing has accused Washington of encouraging Manila to challenge Chinese claims in contested waters. According to BBC Monitoring, China’s government-run media have increasingly portrayed the US as an outside troublemaker undermining Asian stability.

Sharp words on trade and tariffs

Wang also addressed the Trump administration’s latest tariff threats on Southeast Asian economies, describing the global environment as “a mix of change and chaos. He contrasted China’s trade policy with that of the US, saying Beijing embraced openness while Washington imposed “hefty tariffs on trade partners,” disrupting supply chains and hurting global growth.

“It is irresponsible, unpopular, and unsustainable,” Wang said, as quoted by SCMP. “China will continue to stand firmly with countries in the region, promoting unity, cooperation, and collective strength.” He added that China would “always be an advocate of multilateralism, a defender of free trade, and a contributor to open development,” casting Beijing as a champion of regional integration.

Outlook for US-China diplomacy

The Rubio–Wang meeting comes amid cautious efforts by both sides to stabilise relations that have hit multi-decade lows over trade disputes, technology restrictions, Taiwan tensions and military activity in the South China Sea. In the past year, Washington and Beijing have reopened military-to-military communication channels and resumed working groups on trade, fentanyl trafficking, and climate issues. But substantive breakthroughs remain elusive.

The possibility of a Trump–Xi summit later this year now looms as a test of whether the fragile diplomatic thaw can hold. Analysts say both leaders face domestic pressures that may make concessions difficult but see incentives to avoid an all-out rupture that would damage their economies.

As Wang Yi put it after the meeting in Kuala Lumpur:

“Both sides have the responsibility and the opportunity to find a correct way … to get along.”