China-US talks mark a 'small step' towards Xi meeting Trump

Tensions between the world's two biggest economies simmered this year, but have significantly cooled since April, when both countries slapped escalating tariffs on each others' exports.

Trump and Xi last spoke in June over the phone.

The US leader said in August that he expects to visit China this year or shortly afterwards, noting that economic ties between the two countries have improved.

While Xi has not publicly commented on a potential Trump visit, Wednesday's talks between the countries' defence and foreign affairs heads have raised hopes of a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in a telephone call on Wednesday that he wanted constructive and open dialogue with China.

Wang described the call with Rubio as fruitful but warned that "recent negative words and deeds from the US side have undermined China's legitimate rights and interests", according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement. 

The talks were "a continuance of previous conversations and gestures made by both leaders and negotiations on the trade deal", said Dylan Loh, an associate professor at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

"It is, to me, a positive small step but there are many more steps to make," Loh told AFP.

- Uncertainty ahead -

In a separate video call the same day, China's defence minister warned Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth that "containing, deterring, or interfering with China will be futile", state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The two conversations could "pave the way for a Trump-Xi meeting", said Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore.

"But none of that is clear at this point," Chong told AFP.

"The president is known to make and change decisions quickly, so it may be premature to predict that some leaders' meeting is imminent," he cautioned, referring to Trump.

The calls came days after Xi presided over a major parade to mark the end of World War II, bringing together leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

Trump accused the three leaders of conspiring against the United States.

Xi is unlikely to confirm the date and possibility of a meet with Trump until there is an "agreed scripted list of items to talk about" with his counterpart, said Lim Tai Wei, a professor and East Asia expert at Japan's Soka University.

"China's unique political system does not allow any surprises to spring up during any summit with Trump," Lim told AFP. 

NTU's Loh said that there was always an expectation that the two leaders may meet during an upcoming APEC summit between late October and early November, which is being held in Korea's southern city of Gyeongju.

"However, given the rapid changes internally and externally, you never really quite know," Loh added. 

isk/je/jm