A Day After Araghchi's Beijing Visit, China and US Foreign Ministers Hold Phone Call

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, September 17, 2026, about developments in West Asia, a day after hosting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing and ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington next week. According to China's state Xinhua News Agency, Wang said Beijing and Washington should prepare for the next stage of high level exchanges "in a spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit," adding that bilateral ties have "generally moved forward along the track of constructive strategic stability."

During his meeting with Araghchi, Wang had said China "encourages Iran and the United States to stay rational and exercise restraint" and urged both sides to quickly return to the framework agreement they reached in June 2026, while also calling on all parties to take effective steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible. Anadolu Agency reported that Araghchi described his Beijing visit as "successful" on Thursday, saying the decisions made during the trip would shape the region's future strategic balance.