US Secretary of State expects 'very positive' Xi Jinping visit to US in September
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that he expects Chinese President Xi Jinping to make a "very positive" visit to the United States in September, although the trip has not been officially confirmed.
Speaking after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' summit in Manila, Rubio said the discussions had helped lay the groundwork for the expected visit.
"I think President Xi will have a very positive visit when he comes to Washington," Rubio told reporters.
He acknowledged that the United States and China have "significant differences" but said both sides must manage them to prevent tensions from escalating.
"I think these differences will exist for the foreseeable future, and our job is to manage those so that they never get out of control," he said.
The meeting between Rubio and Wang came days after the United States criticised China's actions in the disputed South China Sea and after President Donald Trump accused Beijing of interfering in US elections.
Last week, Trump alleged that China had hacked data related to the 2020 US election, a claim Beijing has denied.
Rubio said the issue was not discussed during his meeting with Wang.
If confirmed, Xi's visit would follow Trump's trip to Beijing in May. Trump has frequently described his relationship with the Chinese leader as positive despite broader geopolitical tensions between the two countries.
While in Manila, Rubio reaffirmed Washington's commitment to freedom of navigation in Southeast Asia and reiterated US security commitments in the region during meetings with ASEAN members and representatives of the Quad grouping comprising India, Japan and Australia.
On Tuesday, the United States and its allies criticised what they described as China's "dangerous" actions following a confrontation between Chinese and Philippine personnel in the South China Sea. Earlier this week, the Philippine military accused the Chinese Coast Guard of injuring one of its sailors near a disputed islet.
Rubio is also expected to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday.