Wang calls Taiwan ‘biggest risk factor’ in Beijing-Washington ties during Rubio call

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Taiwan is “the biggest risk factor in China-US relations” during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The call laid the groundwork for a highly anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing in mid-May.

According to CCTV, Wang said that Beijing and Washington “must safeguard the hard-won stability and make thorough preparations for the coming high-level engagements”.

This apparently refers to possible multiple Xi-Trump meetings in 2026, though no specific dates or arrangements were disclosed in the CCTV report.

“The Taiwan issue concerns China’s core interests and is the biggest risk factor in China-US relations,” Wang said.

“The US side should honour its commitments, make the right choice, open up new avenues for China-US cooperation, and do its part to promote world peace,” Wang added.

South China Morning Post