Overview

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, stressing open, constructive communication in a follow-up to their July Kuala Lumpur meeting.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Admiral Dong Jun the U.S. does not seek conflict, regime change, or the “strangulation” of China, while underscoring vital interests in the Asia‑Pacific.
• China urged U.S. caution over Taiwan, said any bid to back the island’s independence would fail, and called for stability in the South China Sea.
• U.S. readouts described the engagements as candid and constructive with commitments to continue dialogue, and the Pentagon plans to send its defense attaché to the Xiangshan Forum next week.
• A 90‑day tariff truce remains in effect until early November as multiple reports frame the outreach as laying groundwork for a possible Xi–Trump meeting, even as Trump signals readiness to impose new tariffs over China’s Russia ties.